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Plantations in the West Indies. . Colonization Before 1650. Colonization of the West IndiesSpanish introduced sugarcane plantations 1500sNorthern Europeans became interested in beginning tobacco plantations there in the early 1600sTobacco was becoming popular in Europeprofitable. . Populations o
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1. The Atlantic System and Africa 1550-1800
2. Plantations in the West Indies
3. Colonization Before 1650 Colonization of the West Indies
Spanish introduced sugarcane plantations 1500s
Northern Europeans became interested in beginning tobacco plantations there in the early 1600s
Tobacco was becoming popular in Europe
profitable
4. Populations on the French and English islands grew due to chartered companies and free passage for poor Europeans.
Chartered companies were given monopolies by the govt.
Indentured servants worked 3 to 4 years to repay their debt
5. These colonies soon faced competition from Virginia’s tobacco plantations.
The Portuguese began sugar plantations in Brazil.
Used an African slave labor force
6. The Dutch government chartered the Dutch West India Company while they were fighting the Spanish for their independence
Disguised Dutch Navy
Took part of the Brazilian coast
Took trade centers on West African coast
Began trans-Atlantic slave trade
7. Sugar and Slaves West Indies Colonies
Economies switched from tobacco to sugar plantations
Worked by Africans/ African outnumbered Europeans
Indentured servants could no longer afford land on the islands, stopped coming to the Indies
African slaves usually lived for seven years while indentures servants would be released after 3 or 4 years.
8. Plantation Life in the Eighteenth Century
9. Technology and Environment Sugar plantations
Needed crushing and processing machines
Used mills powered by animals, wind, or water
The size of sugar plantations grew
Caused soil exhaustion and deforestation
The native Carib were becoming extinct and the islands were being repopulated by Europeans and Africans.
10. Slaves’ Lives Plantation colonies
90% of the population were slaves
The plantocracy held all the power
Slaves may work up to 18 hour days
Twice as many males were brought from Africa
Majority of field workers were women
Slave gangs were overseen by a “driver”
Harsh punishment motivated hard work
Life expectancy: males 23, females 25.5
11. 1/3 died during seasoning
Most died of diseases
High mortality led to an increase in the slave trade
Slaves were required to leave their African heritage and learn the colonial language
To prevent rebellions
African belief in nature spirits, witch craft and herbal medicine remained strong.
12. Free Whites and Free Blacks 3 groups
Wealthy land owners (grands blancs)
Well off Europeans (petits blancs)
Free blacks
Did the same jobs as Europeans, some even owned slaves
Some wealthy British plantation owners lived in Britain and were members of Parliament.
13. Free black populations grew
Female slaves and the children fathered by their owners were granted manumission.
Manumission was more common in the French and Spanish colonies.
Escaped slaves added to the free black population.
Maroons, or Caribbean runaways
14. Creating the Atlantic Economy
15. Capitalism and Mercantilism Capitalism
Banks, stock exchanges, and chartered trading companies
People could invest in companies for profit
Mercantilism
Policies adopted by European states to promote overseas trade and accumulate capital
Usually precious metals
16. Chartered companies
Mercantilist capitalism
The Dutch East India company was given a charter by the Dutch government that gave them exclusive rights to trade in the Indian Ocean.
Private investors had to buy shares of the company if they wanted to profit from overseas trade.
17. French and English used military force for commercial dominance
Countries passed laws to keep their colonies from trading with foreigners.
18. The Atlantic Circuit A clockwise network of sea routes
From Europe, south to Africa, west to the Americas and then returned to Europe
Europe to Africa
European manufactured goods used to purchase African products and slaves.
Africa to America; the Middle Passage
Slaves were taken west to the plantation colonies
America to Europe
Plantation goods returned to Europe
Other trade routes brought profits to other regions.
19. With increased demand for sugar in Europe came an increased demand for slaves on the plantations.
The middle passage voyage took 6 to 10 weeks.
Many slaves tried to escape
Some had to be force fed
Most deaths were due to disease rather than abuse
20. Africa, the Atlantic and Islam
21. The Gold Coast and the Slave Coast African exports
Slaves, gold, ivory and timber
Imports
Beads, cloths, metal and guns
18th century added tobacco and rum
Africans that were sold as slaves were usually prisoners of war.
22. The Bight of Biafara and Angola Bight of Biafara
Interior Africa
No large state, therefore no major wars
Kidnapping was the major source of slaves
Fairs were set up to sell Africans to African traders.
Angola
South of the Congo
Their slaves came from refugees escaping drought
23. Africa’s European and Islamic Contacts Territory
Until 1800, the Africans gave up very little territory to the Europeans.
The Muslims had been able to conquer most of north Africa.
Due to the Sub-Saharan Africans’ military abilities
The Songhai Empire
West Africa
Muslim dynasty
Took slaves and tribute from local populations
24. Hausa cities
Western Sudan
Trading cities
Trade items were similar to those on the Atlantic coast
Slave trade
With Islamic traders
Not as large as the Atlantic slave trade
Slaves sold into Middle East and India
Slaves became soldiers and servants
25. Religion
Neither Christianity or Islam condemned slave ownership at the time.
Islam had spread into Africa existing in urban areas
European cultural influence was limited.
Between 1550 and 1800
8 million Africans exported to the Atlantic
2 million Africans exported to the Islamic trade network