North Atlantic Slave Trade

Essay # 57178

African-American Studies > Slavery
History > African
History > U.S. Before 1865

An overview of the North Atlantic slave trade based on the Hine, Hine, and Harrold's textbook, "The African-American Odyssey."

1,193 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2003 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the ways in which advances in navigation and technology coincided with the age of exploration and the politics of expansion, resulting in the North Atlantic slave trade. Includes a discussion of the triangular trade commerce cycle that developed between Europe, the North American colonies, and West Africa, and the deplorable conditions that existed on the ships.

From the Paper:

"The seeds of the North American slave trade were planted when technology, politics, and the necessity of economic expansion combined to see the birth of the age of exploration in the 15th century. Advances in navigation and sailing gave real promise to the desires of explorers who sought unchartered routes to riches for their nations, and their rulers funded their excursions as a way to increase commerce and their land holdings. However, the slave-trading that was crucial to the success of these endeavors was eventually abolished as a result of the success it spurred."