TED-ED: The Atlantic slave trade: What too few textbooks told you - Anthony Hazard

The Atlantic slave trade, spanning from the late 15th to the mid-19th century, forcibly transported over 10 million Africans to the Americas, profoundly impacting global economies and histories. Originating with Portuguese and Spanish colonization, the trade met labor demands for crops like sugar and cotton. African slavery, existing in various forms, was exploited by Europeans, leading to intense competition and societal changes in Africa. Slaves endured brutal conditions during transport, with many perishing. The trade's legacy includes demographic shifts in Africa, the collapse of African economies post-abolition, and the rise of racist ideologies justifying slavery, with lasting effects on descendants.

Describe the conditions faced by slaves on ships during the Middle Passage.

• Comfortable and spacious

• Overcrowded and unsanitary

• Well-fed and cared for

• Free to move around

What was the impact of the Atlantic slave trade on the economies of African kingdoms?

• They thrived without competition

• They collapsed after the trade ended

• They became self-sufficient

• They were unaffected

How did the Atlantic slave trade contribute to the development of racist ideology?

• By promoting equality

• By claiming Africans were biologically inferior

• By encouraging intertribal cooperation

• By outlawing slavery