The Atlantic slave trade which began in the 15th century under the Spanish and continued until

its subsequent end in the 19th century became notorious as one of the most profitable branches of trade in which each European country had sought to snatch a profitable share for itself. For e.g. according to S. U. Abramova Great Britain, Holland and France were the leading slave trading powers of the time.even Denmark and Sweden built forts on the western coast of Africa to part take in the slave trade.1 Africans had become the victims of the largest, most inhumane and barbaric form of genocide ever known to mankind. According to Karl Marx Africa turned into a warren for the commercial hunting of black-skins 2With the transport of Africans across the Atlantic to enslavement in the New World many were brutally murdered and tortured However in an attempt to dignify this gross abomination, its perpetrators of such atrocious crimes sought to legitimize their actions by calling it a trade; but arguably this activity was no trade, but a form of exchange that was so un-equal as to be tantamount to worse than robbery. 3 What is trade? Trade can be defined as the voluntary exchange of one item for another, one person or firm providing an item i.e. (good, service, asset, etc.) to another person or firm, with the latter providing a different item to the first in return, as payment. This transaction may take place between two parties (bilateral trade) or amongst more than two parties (multilateral trade). In its original form trade necessarily
1 2

UNESCO. The African Slave Trade from the 15th to the 19th Century (1979) pp.18-19 DU BOIS, W.EB. The World and Africa (International Publishers NY, 1981) p.56 3 <http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php>

used barter and the exchange of commodities which recognized the equal value desirable to both parties.4 Prior to the arrival of the Europeans the trade in slaves and slave markets was not unknown to Sub-Saharan African societies. It was part of life in various kingdoms as well as formed the social structures throughout history. Slavery in Africa was viewed as servitude for repayment of debt, punishment for crime committed and prisoners of war among tribes. Although this internal trade throughout its period was in the millions, slaves consisted of just a small percentage of the population.5 This exchange was quite valuable since it was beneficial to all parties in that it aided in the development of the societies involved. Slaves were usually sold for salt, horses and luxury cloths. In return they would be used as servants for domestic purposes in that an equal or greater number of females than males were taken, who were often employed as chambermaids to women of harems; aided in strengthen armies and it was also not uncommon to turn male slaves into eunuchs.6 Never before had the hunt for slaves been so systematic nor had it been carried on solely for the sake of procuring slaves. The Atlantic slave trade was considered by European tradesmen as respectable as any branch of trade, in that many boosted of their success in trading in live merchandise. For e.g. a fortunate voyage made a profit of 8,000, even a poor cargo would make 5,000 and within a year a clear profit of 300,000.7 Apprised of the golden earnings the shareholders had made from this first slaving voyage, even Queen Elizabeth herself invested capital.
4 5

Trade. Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade > From the Ancient Sahara and Americas and Into the New World <http://bosp.kcc.hawaii.edu/Spectrums/Spectrum2001/slaves.html> 6 African slave trade. Wikipedia <http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_slave_trade.html> 7 DU BOIS, W.EB. The World and Africa (International Publishers NY, 1981) p.55

Although there is no substantial data on the accurate number of slaves supplied to the New World several historians based on their findings have given substantial estimates. According to Curtins work, one of the most reliable scientific data upon the slave trade claimed that from Senegal to Angola states sprung up or were recreated from old states. Here it is estimated that they supplied approximately 8 million of black to be transported across the ocean;8 Whilst Hugh Thomas The Slave Trade: The History of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1440-1870 claimed that the number of Africans transported across the Atlantic were at approximately 11 million. On the other hand, as mention above this traffic in human beings was not necessarily a trade. This unfriendly activity was imposed upon African societies by means of military terror. It was either they complied or face the wrought of the European fire power. The existence of the many forts and castles, European monuments to war, self defence, and plunder, forming a chain link across the West African Coast, was evidence of their reign of violent military might. For e.g. Many African societies were drawn into the slave system under duress; (Cape Coast Castle, Gold Coast, (Ghana) 1948.) As a result European decision-making power was exercised in selecting what Africans should export- in accordance with European needs. In many instances African people were simply the victims since the law i.e. European law recognized them only as transportable merchandise. In addition the small size of
8

CURTIN, P. The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census (University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 1969)

African states and the numerous political divisions also made it so much easier for Europe to play a dominant role. According to Rodney obviously if Europe could tell Africans what to export, that was an expression of European power.9 However, the goods intended for barter by European tradesmen ranged from fire-arms, gun-lifts and gunpowder to glass beads, various metal ware, rum and cloth. In return the African people exported the permanent wealth of gold and the valuable labour of slaves. In hindsight, this arguably was an unequal exchange, but the same sort of thing is still going on today. The countries of the North stop at nothing to convince African heads of state to import white elephants in exchange for mediocre personal profit. According to Hennessy the European tradesmen peddling their wares with deftness and contempt had thereby created an artificial market in which they supplied cheap brassware and old clothes, faulty iron-bars, cottons gewgaw and aged flintlocks that frequently blew up on use. As a result Africans sold them their slaves, gold and ivory, in return for trash. These items had no real value or assisted in the development of the society.10 For e.g. European tradesmen unloaded on the African continent goods which had become un-saleable in Europe in that lots of odds and ends found guaranteed markets in Africa.11

RODNEY, W. How Europe underdeveloped Africa (Howard Univ. Press, Washington, D.C. 1982) p.77 10 HENNESSY, J. Sins of the Fathers, A Study of the Atlantic Slave Traders 1441-1807 (Ebenezer Baylis and Son Limited, Great Britain 1967) pp. 174-175 11 RODNEY, W. How Europe underdeveloped Africa (Howard Univ. Press, Washington, D.C. 1982)p.77

In addition, Hugh Thomas also claims that gunpowder was often fraudulently weighed by simple techniques such as adding a false head to the keg,; linen and cotton cloths were often opened and two or three yards, according to the length of the piece, they would cut off from out of the middle, where the fraud might not be noticed until the cloth was unfolded; also a piece of wood might be placed inside to make up the weight.12 Although the Europeans on a whole didnt invade the continent, in attempt to secure more slaves as possible from West Africa involuntarily, they compelled the Africans to wage wars against other neighbouring states that otherwise would not have been waged. For e.g. Davidson claims during the 18th century, Birmingham alone was exporting some 10,000 muskets annually to West Africa Here they used the Machiavellian policy of supplying musket to both sides of the conflict as well as hardened the existing internal class divisions and created new ones. Even inside a given community a ruler might be tempted to exploit his own subjects and capture them for sale.13 For e.g. According to Rodney the small territory that the Portuguese later claimed as Guinea-Bissau, there were more than a dozen ethnic groups. It was so easy to set one off against another that Europeans called it a slave traders paradise.14 Another feature of this un-equal trade was that these European tradesmen sought to involuntary capture slaves via kidnapping. According to Equiano a slave from a region in Gambia and one of the very few who lived to describe his experienced stated that .One day, when all our people were gone out to their works as usual, and only I
and my dear sister were left to mind the house, two men and a woman got over our walls, and
12

THOMAS, H. The slave trade: the history of the Atlantic slave trade ( Simon and Schuster, NY, 1997) p.393 13 THORNTON, J. Africa and Africans in the making of the New World (Cambridge Univ. Press, NY 1992) p.98 14 RODNEY, W. How Europe underdeveloped Africa (Howard Univ. Press, Washington, D.C. 1982) p.79

in a moment seized us both; and, without giving us time to cry out, or make resistance, they stopped our mouths, and ran off with us into the nearest wood15

On the other hand, Europeans had traditionally viewed the African as less than an equal human being, since blackness was a defining. Black was dirt, sinful, impure whereas white meant beauty, virtue, and cleanliness. By European racist code and conduct these Africans were barbaric by nature and, were not considered worthy of having rights. Although they were regarded as chattels or in other words as mere private property, these commodities were harshly treated on board the ships and storage on the coast in that they received no special care or attention. For e.g. according to Hennessy animal would ever been treated like that. Thereby this challenges the idea of legitimizing there activity as a trade, since the inhumane conditions surrounding the delivery of this entire process was quite alarming. 16 Prior to the journey across the Atlantic to the New World, these human merchandises were placed into abominable conditions of dungeon fortresses in the slave castles along the coast, awaiting the arrival of the slave ships. Here they were kept people in dark, dirty rooms with little to eat or drink and no room to move and also at the barracoons they were chained and confined together by their hands, ankles and sometimes their necks 17 Likewise upon this long and treacherous journey which has become known as the Middle Passage, on board the ships these slaves suffered seriously from the

15 16

The Atlantic slave system <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASafrica.htm> UNESCO The African Slave Trade from the 15th to the 19th Century (1979) p.35 17 THOMAS, H. The slave trade: the history of the Atlantic slave trade ( Simon and Schuster, NY, 1997) pp.390-392

conditions since its estimated that many as 20% died while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. According to Munford these slavers transported approximately 400 to 500 slaves for a period of three to four months. Most ships, especially those of the later 18th century, which were "tight packers", slaves whether sick or dying were often kept in chains and left to lie on their backs in the dark in spaces smaller than that of a grave, or in some cases stacked spoon-fashion on top of one another throughout the endless journey. I 18 Portholes when kept shut in rough weather, transformed the hold into an airless hell. But according to Hennessy excessive heat was not the only thing that rendered their situation intolerable. The deck that is the floor of their rooms, was so covered with the blood and mucous which had proceeded from them in consequence of the flux, that it resembled a slaughter-house. 19 In attempt to keep the slaves in acceptable physical condition if they were to be sold at high prices the captain allowed the slaves on deck, in order to give them exercise. Still shackled together the men were forced to jump up and down until often these abrasive chains smashing and crashing against one another tore the flesh of their ankles. 20
18

MUNFORD, C. The Black Ordeal of Slavery and Slave Trading in the French West Indies 1625-

1715 Vol. II (Edwin Mellen Press Ltd, NY 1991) pp.298 - 299

19

HENNESSY, J. Sins of the Fathers, A Study of the Atlantic Slave Traders 1441-1807 (Ebenezer Baylis and Son Limited, Great Britain 1967) pp. 174-175
20

MUNFORD, C. The Black Ordeal of Slavery and Slave Trading in the French West Indies 1625-

1715 Vol. II (Edwin Mellen Press Ltd, NY 1991)p.305

Thereby the horror of middle passage represents the paramount of human mistreatment and suffering. This dreadful so called trade also represents Africans having all their humanity being stripped away and contributing to the most vicious genocide known to the world. In conclusion, the Atlantic slave trade was not necessarily a trade since the traffic in human beings were carried out in the inhumane conditions known to mankind as well as it required both parties involved i.e. the European and more so the Africans to voluntarily comply with the transactions and most often the value of the goods exchanged were of un-equal weighting.