Triangular trade: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Historical trade system between three regions}}
{{Short description|Historical trade system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}


[[File:Triangle_trade2.png|thumb|Diagram of the triangular trade]]
[[File:Triangle_trade2.png|thumb|Diagram of the triangular trade]]
[[File:Triangular_trade.jpg|thumb|Illustration of the triangular trade routes]]


The '''triangular trade''' was a system of transatlantic trade in the 16th to 19th centuries that involved the exchange of goods and enslaved people between [[Europe]], [[Africa]], and the [[Americas]]. This trade system was a significant factor in the economic development of the [[Atlantic World]] and played a crucial role in the history of [[slavery]].
The '''triangular trade''' was a system of transatlantic trade in the 16th to 19th centuries that involved the exchange of goods and enslaved people between [[Europe]], [[Africa]], and the [[Americas]]. This trade system was a crucial component of the [[Atlantic slave trade]] and had significant economic, social, and political impacts on the regions involved.


==Overview==
==Overview==
The triangular trade consisted of three stages:
The triangular trade consisted of three stages, forming a triangle across the Atlantic Ocean. The first leg involved ships leaving European ports loaded with manufactured goods such as textiles, rum, and guns. These goods were transported to the west coast of Africa, where they were exchanged for enslaved Africans.


# '''Europe to Africa''': European ships carried manufactured goods such as textiles, rum, and guns to Africa. These goods were exchanged for enslaved Africans.
[[File:Triangular_trade.jpg|thumb|left|Illustration of the triangular trade routes]]
# '''Africa to the Americas''': Known as the [[Middle Passage]], this leg involved transporting enslaved Africans across the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the Americas. The conditions on these voyages were horrific, with high mortality rates among the captives.
# '''Americas to Europe''': Ships returned to Europe carrying goods produced in the Americas, such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton, which were cultivated using enslaved labor.


==Historical Context==
The second leg, known as the [[Middle Passage]], was the transport of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. This journey was notorious for its brutal conditions, with enslaved people packed tightly into ships, leading to high mortality rates.
The triangular trade emerged as European powers expanded their colonial empires in the Americas. The demand for labor-intensive crops like sugar and tobacco led to the establishment of the [[Atlantic slave trade]]. European nations, including [[Portugal]], [[Spain]], [[France]], [[England]], and the [[Netherlands]], were heavily involved in this trade.


==Impact on Africa==
The final leg of the triangle involved the transport of goods produced in the Americas, such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton, back to Europe. These goods were often produced on plantations using the labor of enslaved Africans.
The triangular trade had devastating effects on African societies. Millions of Africans were forcibly taken from their homes, leading to significant population loss and social disruption. The trade also fueled internal conflicts and warfare, as some African states engaged in capturing and selling their rivals.


==Impact on the Americas==
==Economic Impact==
In the Americas, the influx of enslaved Africans transformed societies and economies. The labor of enslaved people was crucial to the development of plantation economies, particularly in the [[Caribbean]] and the [[Southern United States]]. This system entrenched racial hierarchies and had lasting social and cultural impacts.
The triangular trade was highly profitable for European merchants and played a significant role in the economic development of European nations. The trade provided raw materials for European industries and markets for European manufactured goods. It also contributed to the growth of port cities such as [[Liverpool]], [[Bristol]], and [[Nantes]].


==Impact on Europe==
==Social and Cultural Impact==
European economies benefited from the triangular trade through the accumulation of wealth and resources. The profits from the trade contributed to the [[Industrial Revolution]] and the growth of European cities and industries.
The trade had devastating effects on African societies, leading to the displacement and suffering of millions of people. It also contributed to the development of racially based social hierarchies in the Americas, with long-lasting impacts on social structures and cultural identities.


==Abolition==
[[File:Slaves_embarked_to_America_from_1450_until_1800_by_country.jpg|thumb|Map showing the number of slaves embarked to America by country]]
The abolition of the triangular trade and slavery was a gradual process. The [[British Empire]] abolished the slave trade in 1807, followed by other European nations. The [[United States]] banned the importation of slaves in 1808, although slavery itself continued until the [[American Civil War]].
 
==Political Impact==
The triangular trade influenced political relations between European powers, as nations competed for control of trade routes and colonies. It also played a role in the development of colonial economies and the expansion of European empires.
 
==Navigation and Trade Routes==
The trade routes were influenced by the [[North Atlantic Gyre]], a system of ocean currents that facilitated the movement of ships across the Atlantic. The gyre helped ships travel from Europe to Africa, then to the Americas, and back to Europe.
 
[[File:North_Atlantic_Gyre.png|thumb|left|Map of the North Atlantic Gyre, which influenced trade routes]]
 
==Abolition and Legacy==
The triangular trade began to decline in the late 18th century as movements to abolish the slave trade gained momentum. The [[Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807]] in Britain and similar legislation in other countries marked the end of the legal transatlantic slave trade, although illegal trade continued for some time.
 
The legacy of the triangular trade is still felt today, with ongoing discussions about reparations and the impact of slavery on modern societies.
 
[[File:Graph_of_the_Number_of_Slaves_Imported_From_Africa.png|thumb|Graph showing the number of slaves imported from Africa]]


==Related pages==
==Related pages==
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* [[Abolitionism]]
* [[Abolitionism]]
* [[Colonialism]]
* [[Colonialism]]
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Slaves_embarked_to_America_from_1450_until_1800_by_country.jpg|Map showing the number of slaves embarked to America by country
File:Luxborough_galley_burnt_nearly_to_the_water,_25_June_1727.jpg|The burning of the Luxborough Galley, a slave ship
File:North_Atlantic_Gyre.png|Map of the North Atlantic Gyre, which influenced trade routes
File:Graph_of_the_Number_of_Slaves_Imported_From_Africa.png|Graph showing the number of slaves imported from Africa
</gallery>
==References==
* {{cite book |last=Klein |first=Herbert S. |title=The Atlantic Slave Trade |year=1999 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0521599587}}


[[Category:Atlantic slave trade]]
[[Category:Atlantic slave trade]]
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[[Category:History of Africa]]
[[Category:History of Africa]]
[[Category:History of Europe]]
[[Category:History of Europe]]
== Triangular_trade ==
<gallery>
File:Triangle_trade2.png|Diagram of the triangular trade
File:Triangular_trade.jpg|Illustration of the triangular trade
File:Slaves_embarked_to_America_from_1450_until_1800_by_country.jpg|Map of slave embarkation to America by country
File:Luxborough_galley_burnt_nearly_to_the_water,_25_June_1727.jpg|The Luxborough galley burnt nearly to the water, 25 June 1727
File:North_Atlantic_Gyre.png|Map of the North Atlantic Gyre
File:Graph_of_the_Number_of_Slaves_Imported_From_Africa.png|Graph of the number of slaves imported from Africa
</gallery>

Latest revision as of 18:48, 23 March 2025

Historical trade system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas


Diagram of the triangular trade

The triangular trade was a system of transatlantic trade in the 16th to 19th centuries that involved the exchange of goods and enslaved people between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. This trade system was a crucial component of the Atlantic slave trade and had significant economic, social, and political impacts on the regions involved.

Overview[edit]

The triangular trade consisted of three stages, forming a triangle across the Atlantic Ocean. The first leg involved ships leaving European ports loaded with manufactured goods such as textiles, rum, and guns. These goods were transported to the west coast of Africa, where they were exchanged for enslaved Africans.

Illustration of the triangular trade routes

The second leg, known as the Middle Passage, was the transport of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. This journey was notorious for its brutal conditions, with enslaved people packed tightly into ships, leading to high mortality rates.

The final leg of the triangle involved the transport of goods produced in the Americas, such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton, back to Europe. These goods were often produced on plantations using the labor of enslaved Africans.

Economic Impact[edit]

The triangular trade was highly profitable for European merchants and played a significant role in the economic development of European nations. The trade provided raw materials for European industries and markets for European manufactured goods. It also contributed to the growth of port cities such as Liverpool, Bristol, and Nantes.

Social and Cultural Impact[edit]

The trade had devastating effects on African societies, leading to the displacement and suffering of millions of people. It also contributed to the development of racially based social hierarchies in the Americas, with long-lasting impacts on social structures and cultural identities.

Map showing the number of slaves embarked to America by country

Political Impact[edit]

The triangular trade influenced political relations between European powers, as nations competed for control of trade routes and colonies. It also played a role in the development of colonial economies and the expansion of European empires.

Navigation and Trade Routes[edit]

The trade routes were influenced by the North Atlantic Gyre, a system of ocean currents that facilitated the movement of ships across the Atlantic. The gyre helped ships travel from Europe to Africa, then to the Americas, and back to Europe.

Map of the North Atlantic Gyre, which influenced trade routes

Abolition and Legacy[edit]

The triangular trade began to decline in the late 18th century as movements to abolish the slave trade gained momentum. The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807 in Britain and similar legislation in other countries marked the end of the legal transatlantic slave trade, although illegal trade continued for some time.

The legacy of the triangular trade is still felt today, with ongoing discussions about reparations and the impact of slavery on modern societies.

Graph showing the number of slaves imported from Africa

Related pages[edit]