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Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Essay

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Introduction The Trans-Atlantic slave trade occurred during the 15th to 19th centuries. In determining the role that trans-Atlantic slavery played in shaping the United States, one must consider the numerous roles that were involved and which ones had the most impact. Trans-Atlantic slavery provided the labor force that strengthened the economy for the emerging United States. Trans-Atlantic slaves were a reliable work force that increased capitalism. Point #1 The use of indentured servants decreased as the development of plantations was increasing. Indentured servants were not a reliable work force because their servitude was voluntary. Indentured servants would sign an indenture to work for a certain amount of years and then were freed from their contract. But some indentured servants would leave before their contract was finished. Another issue was that it was harder to keep track of indentured servants than slaves due to the color of their skin. Indentured …show more content…

As Berlin stated that, “The distinguishing characteristics of Atlantic creoles- their linguistic dexterity, cultural plasticity and social agility- were precisely those qualities that the sugar planters of the New World feared the most. For their labor force, planters desired youth and strength, not experience and wisdom. Too much knowledge might be subversive to the good order of the plantation (pgs. 29-30)”. Trans-Atlantic African slaves offered just what the plantations owners were looking for, naïve youth and strength. Later on, slaveholders would trade specifically with other countries based on specifics such as age and strength, and based on where pervious slaves were from. An example would be, plantation owners preferred Gambian peoples over Angolans, because Angolans were known to run

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