The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Crash Course Black American History #1

CrashCourse
7 May 202113:08
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThis Crash Course episode delves into the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, a dark chapter spanning 400 years. It highlights the journey of 12.4 million enslaved Africans, the 'Middle Passage,' and the triangular trade's devastating impact. The episode discusses the conditions on slave ships, the resistance of the enslaved, and the role of African traders, emphasizing the horrors and complexities of this historical tragedy.

Takeaways
  • 🌍 The Trans-Atlantic slave trade lasted nearly 400 years, from the late 15th to the late 19th century, involving the transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic.
  • 📚 W.E.B. Du Bois described the Atlantic slave trade as 'the most magnificent drama in the last thousand years of human history,' highlighting its profound impact on history.
  • ⚠️ The script contains discussions of sexual violence and extreme violence, emphasizing the importance of understanding these difficult aspects of US history.
  • 🔢 Approximately 12.4 million enslaved Africans were transported via the Middle Passage, which was part of the triangular trade involving Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
  • 🌐 The majority of enslaved Africans did not go to the United States; Brazil received the largest proportion, around 41%, with others spread across the Caribbean and South America.
  • 📖 Personal narratives, such as Olaudah Equiano's autobiography, offer a first-hand perspective on the horrors of the slave trade and the experiences of the enslaved.
  • 🤝 Many Africans were sold to Europeans by other Africans, often as prisoners of war or to pay off debts, complicating the narrative of the slave trade.
  • 🚢 Conditions on slave ships were horrific, with overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and rampant disease leading to the death of an estimated 2 million Africans during the Middle Passage.
  • 💪 Enslaved Africans resisted their captivity in various ways, from individual acts like refusing to eat to collective revolts against the crew.
  • 🗣️ The use of the term 'enslaved' rather than 'slave' is emphasized to center the personhood of the individuals and to recognize slavery as an imposed condition.
  • 🏛️ The Royal African Company played a central role in the slave trade, maintaining a monopoly on English trade to Africa for several decades.
  • 📉 Despite the end of the international slave trade in 1808, illegal trafficking continued, and it took until 1888 for Brazil to be the last Western country to abolish slavery.
Q & A

  • What is the time span of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade?

    -The Trans-Atlantic slave trade spanned nearly four hundred years from the late fifteenth century to the late nineteenth century.

  • How many primary regions were there from which the majority of enslaved Africans were taken?

    -The majority of enslaved Africans were taken from six primary regions: Senegambia, Sierra Leone & the Windward Coast, the Gold Coast, the Bight of Benin, the Bight of Biafra, and West Central Africa also known as Kongo and Angola.

  • What did W.E.B. Du Bois describe the Atlantic slave trade as in his 1935 book 'Black Reconstruction in America'?

    -W.E.B. Du Bois described the Atlantic slave trade as 'the most magnificent drama in the last thousand years of human history,' using 'magnificent' in a negative connotation.

  • What is the Middle Passage, and why was it called so?

    -The Middle Passage refers to the journey of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, which included many different destinations. It was named the Middle Passage because it was the second of three parts of what became known as the triangular trade.

  • What were the three parts of the triangular trade?

    -The three parts of the triangular trade were: 1) European goods like textiles, iron, alcohol, firearms, and gunpowder being transported to Africa's western coast, 2) the exchange of these goods for enslaved people in Africa, and 3) the transport of enslaved Africans to the Americas, where they were sold and exchanged for goods like sugar and tobacco before the ships returned to Europe.

  • How many African captives are estimated to have died during the Middle Passage?

    -It is estimated that over the course of the Middle Passage, 2 million African captives died.

  • What percentage of captured Africans were brought directly to what would eventually become the United States?

    -Only about 5% of captured Africans were brought directly to what would eventually become the United States.

  • What was the largest proportion of enslaved people trafficked to which country?

    -The largest proportion, around 41%, of enslaved people trafficked went to Brazil.

  • What does the term 'enslaved' emphasize when referring to African and African-descended people held in bondage?

    -The term 'enslaved' emphasizes personhood and the involuntary imposition of slavery as a condition, rather than it being an inherent condition of someone's existence.

  • What was the role of England's Royal African Company in the slave trade?

    -England's Royal African Company maintained a monopoly on all English trade to Africa following its inception in 1672 and played an active role in the slave trade during the 18th century.

  • When did the federal government of the United States end the international slave trade, and how long did the domestic slave trade continue after that?

    -The federal government ended the international slave trade in 1808. However, the domestic slave trade continued for many years after that, and it took almost another sixty years and the Civil War to end slavery in the United States.

  • Which country was the last in the Western world to abolish slavery, and when did it do so?

    -Brazil was the last country in the Western world to abolish slavery, doing so in 1888.

Outlines
00:00
🌍 Introduction to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

Clint Smith introduces the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, a horrific period spanning nearly 400 years from the 15th to the 19th century. He discusses the six primary regions from which enslaved Africans were taken and highlights the significant work of W.E.B. Du Bois, who described the trade as a 'magnificent drama' in a negative sense. Smith warns of the challenging topics to be discussed, such as sexual violence and extreme violence, emphasizing the importance of addressing these realities to understand US History. The Middle Passage, part of the triangular trade, is explained, along with the fact that only 5% of enslaved Africans were brought to the US, with the majority going to Brazil and other parts of the Caribbean and South America. The narrative includes the perspective of Olaudah Equiano, who provides a first-hand account of the traumatic experience of capture and enslavement.

05:02
💔 The Atrocities of Slave Ships and Resistance

This paragraph delves into the appalling conditions on slave ships, where hundreds of enslaved Africans were packed in cramped, unsanitary spaces, leading to rampant disease and death. The narrative includes Equiano's firsthand account of the unbearable stench, heat, and sickness that afflicted the captives. The paragraph also discusses the various forms of violence and sexual violence that were common during the Middle Passage. Despite these horrific conditions, enslaved people resisted in many ways, from individual acts like refusing to eat to collective actions such as revolts. The paragraph also touches on the economic perspective of slaves as a form of currency and the spiritual beliefs that motivated some to jump overboard, hoping to be returned home by the ocean. The cruelty of the speculum orum and other torture devices used to suppress resistance is highlighted, emphasizing the brutal reality of the slave trade.

10:03
🛑 The Enduring Legacy of the Slave Trade

The final paragraph discusses the historical context and aftermath of the slave trade. It mentions the role of England's Royal African Company and the period of 'free trade' that followed its monopoly. The focus then shifts to South Carolina's involvement with the slave trade, which, despite initially prohibiting it, later saw a significant influx of enslaved people between 1803 and 1808. Charleston's coast is noted as a major entry point for enslaved Africans, drawing a parallel to Ellis Island, albeit under vastly different circumstances. The paragraph concludes with a look at the timeline of the abolition of the slave trade and slavery itself in various countries, noting that Brazil was the last Western country to abolish slavery in 1888. The lasting impact of the slave trade on the world and the lives of both black and white people is acknowledged, setting the stage for further discussion in subsequent episodes.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Trans-Atlantic slave trade
The Trans-Atlantic slave trade refers to the forced transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas from the late fifteenth to the late nineteenth century. It is a central theme of the video, illustrating the historical context and the scale of human suffering involved. The script mentions that this trade spanned nearly four hundred years and involved six primary regions of Africa, highlighting the vastness of the trade's impact.
💡Middle Passage
The Middle Passage is the term used to describe the segment of the triangular trade route where enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic to the Americas. It is a key concept in the script, symbolizing the treacherous journey that millions of Africans endured. The script notes that it was named the Middle Passage because it was the second leg of the triangular trade and that an estimated 12.4 million people were loaded onto slave ships during this phase.
💡Triangular trade
Triangular trade is a historical term for the three-legged trade route involving Europe, Africa, and the Americas, where goods and enslaved people were exchanged. The script explains that the first leg of this journey carried European goods to Africa, the second, the Middle Passage, involved the transport of enslaved Africans to the Americas, and the third brought goods like sugar and tobacco back to Europe, illustrating the interconnectedness of these regions during this period.
💡Enslaved Africans
Enslaved Africans refers to the people who were captured and forced into slavery, primarily from regions in Africa to various parts of the Americas. The script emphasizes that the majority of these individuals did not go to the United States but were instead dispersed throughout the Caribbean, South America, and Brazil. This term is crucial for understanding the demographic impact of the slave trade.
💡Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano was an African captured as a boy who later wrote an autobiography detailing his experiences. His narrative provides a first-hand account of the horrors of capture and enslavement, as referenced in the script. Equiano's story is used to humanize the enslaved and to provide a personal perspective on the dehumanizing conditions they faced during the Middle Passage.
💡Resistance
Resistance in the context of the video refers to the various ways enslaved Africans fought back against their captors, both individually and collectively. The script describes acts of resistance ranging from revolts to refusing to eat or jumping overboard, showing the enslaved's determination to maintain some control over their lives despite the oppressive conditions.
💡Speculum orum
The speculum orum, as mentioned in the script, was a brutal device used to force-feed enslaved Africans who refused to eat as an act of resistance. It was a screw-like device that opened a person's mouth, often causing severe physical harm. This term is significant as it exemplifies the extreme measures taken to suppress resistance and maintain control over the enslaved.
💡Chattel slavery
Chattel slavery is a form of slavery where individuals are treated as personal property, bought, and sold like chattel. The script explains that this type of slavery was unique to the Americas, where enslaved people were held in intergenerational bondage, meaning their children and future generations would also be born into slavery, which is distinct from the initial capture and sale by other Africans.
💡Royal African Company
The Royal African Company was an English chartered firm that held a monopoly on all English trade to Africa from its inception in 1672. The script notes its central role in the slave trade during the period of 1675 to 1725, highlighting the institutional support for the slave trade by European powers.
💡South Carolina
South Carolina is highlighted in the script as a significant location in the context of the slave trade. It initially prohibited the African slave trade in 1787 but reopened it in 1803 until the federal prohibition took effect in 1808. The state's coast, particularly Charleston, was a major entry point for enslaved Africans, earning it a comparison, albeit with important distinctions, to Ellis Island.
💡Abolition
Abolition refers to the act of formally ending or prohibiting an institution or practice, in this case, slavery. The script discusses the timeline of abolition in various countries, noting that while the international slave trade was abolished in the U.S. and Britain in the early 19th century, it took much longer for slavery itself to be abolished, with Brazil being the last Western country to do so in 1888.
Highlights

The Trans-Atlantic slave trade spanned nearly four hundred years from the late fifteenth century to the late nineteenth century.

Enslaved Africans were taken from six primary regions in Africa, including Senegambia, Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast, and others.

W.E.B. Du Bois described the Atlantic slave trade as 'the most magnificent drama in the last thousand years of human history,' highlighting its devastating impact.

The Middle Passage was the second leg of the triangular trade, where enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic.

An estimated 12.4 million people were loaded onto slave ships, with 2 million African captives dying during the Middle Passage.

Only about 5% of captured Africans were brought directly to what would become the U.S., with the majority going to Brazil and the Caribbean.

Olaudah Equiano's autobiography provides a first-hand account of the experience of being captured and transported as a slave.

Many captured Africans were sold to Europeans by other Africans, often as prisoners of war or to pay off debts.

The conditions on slave ships were horrific, with people packed in tight, chained, and forced to relieve themselves where they slept.

Disease was rampant on slave ships, with yellow fever, malaria, smallpox, and dysentery contributing to high death rates.

Violence and sexual violence were common on slave ships, with enslaved Africans subjected to torture and rape.

Enslaved people resisted in various ways, including revolts, refusing to eat, and attempting suicide by jumping overboard.

The speculum orum, a device used to force-feed resistant slaves, exemplifies the brutal methods used to suppress resistance.

The period from 1700 to 1808 was the most destructive time of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, with two-thirds of enslaved Africans trafficked during this time.

The federal government of the United States ended the international slave trade in 1808, but the domestic slave trade and illegal trafficking continued.

Brazil, which received the largest proportion of enslaved people, was the last country in the Western world to abolish slavery in 1888.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade had a profound and lasting impact on the world, shaping the lives of both black and white populations.

Transcripts

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Slave TradeBlack HistoryTrans-AtlanticMiddle PassageHuman TraffickingCultural ImpactHistorical DramaResistanceAfrican DiasporaHistorical Injustice