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trans-Atlantic slave trade
Also known as: transatlantic slave trade
Facts (16)
Sources
Comparing African Slavery and Trans-Atlantic Trade review.gale.com Apr 8, 2025 16 facts
claimIndigenous African slavery was typically localized, whereas the trans-Atlantic slave trade functioned on an industrial scale by forcibly transporting millions of Africans to the Americas to meet the labor demands of plantation economies.
measurementThe trans-Atlantic slave trade occurred from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century.
referenceGale’s 'Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive' provides resources to uncover the differences between indigenous African slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
claimIndigenous African slavery was typically localized, whereas the trans-Atlantic slave trade functioned on an industrial scale by forcibly transporting millions of Africans to the Americas to meet the labor demands of plantation economies.
measurementThe trans-Atlantic slave trade resulted in the forced migration of approximately 12.5 million Africans, with around 10.7 million surviving the voyage to the Americas.
referenceGale’s 'Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive' contains primary source documents such as shipping logs and trade records that provide insights into the magnitude of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
measurementThe trans-Atlantic slave trade resulted in the forced migration of approximately 12.5 million Africans, with around 10.7 million surviving the voyage to the Americas.
referenceGale’s 'Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive' provides documentation and exploration of the differences between indigenous African slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, including the transformation into chattel slavery.
claimThe trans-Atlantic slave trade sought to strip enslaved Africans of their identities as a deliberate tactic to suppress resistance and maintain control over enslaved populations.
procedureThe trans-Atlantic slave trade utilized a triangular system of trade: manufactured goods were shipped from Europe to Africa, enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic to the Americas (the Middle Passage), and raw materials such as cotton, sugar, and tobacco were sent to Europe.
measurementThe trans-Atlantic slave trade spanned from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century.
referenceDocuments such as shipping logs and trade records, which offer insights into the magnitude of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, are available in Gale’s 'Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive'.
claimIndigenous systems of slavery existed in Africa prior to the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
claimThe trans-Atlantic slave trade caused massive displacement that depopulated and fragmented vast regions within Africa and led to a loss of cultural heritage.
claimThe massive displacement caused by the trans-Atlantic slave trade depopulated and fragmented vast regions within Africa and led to a loss of cultural heritage.
claimThe trans-Atlantic slave trade's emphasis on profit maximization led to inhumane working conditions, rampant abuse, and inadequate nutrition for enslaved individuals.