How did goods travel across the world in the 16th century? Trade between countries was necessary for economic growth. In the early 16th century, the triangular trade was a route that started in Europe and was used to supply enslaved African Americans and other goods to the thirteen colonies. The emergence of the triangular trade route directly resulted from Britain's mercantilist economic policy. The route would establish a transatlantic economy from the 16th- 19th centuries and impact every aspect of colonial development. Read on to see how Triangular Trade affected the colonies!
Triangular Trade: Definition
The triangular trade route was a complex trading system that developed in the 16th century between Africa, Europe, and the thirteen colonies. The route started with Europeans purchasing enslaved people from Africa and selling them to the colonies. Raw materials from the colonies went to Europe, then finished goods in Europe were sold back to the colonies.
Triangular Trade: History
Portugal became the first nation to participate in the trading of enslaved Africans during the mid-15th century. The Portuguese built trading relationships with Indigenous nations along the African coast. Although other European countries became involved in the African slave trade, Portugal would dominate in the early years. Europeans pursued colonization in Africa to help secure enslaved people. Yet, leaders from African nations, coupled with European competition, did not allow for extensive expansion and colonization in Africa throughout this period.
Below is a brief timeline showing the beginning and end of the Triangular Trade routes.
| Date | Event |
| 1480 | Portuguese brought enslaved Africans to their West African colonies |
| 1500 | New colonies were established in the New World by Spain and Portugal (throughout the 1500s, Portugal began bringing enslaved people to the New World) |
| 1600 | Demand for labor increased the need for enslaved Africans |
| 1600 | French, Dutch, and English colonies were established in the New World - these countries became entrenched in the transatlantic slave trade |
| 1619 | Enslaved Africans arrived in the Virginian colony of Jamestown |
| 1700 | Throughout this century, a large influx of enslaved Africans were traded in the Americas, they accounted for a large portion of the triangle trade |
| 1807 | Great Britain ended the slave trade with the signing of the Slave Trade Act |
| 1808 | America ended the importation of enslaved Africans with the signing of the "Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves" in 1808 (even with the act signed, the trade in enslaved Africans would continue on for decades to come) |
Did you know?
By 1820, four out of every five women crossing the Atlantic were from Africa, and the majority of enslaved Africans arrived in the thirteen colonies between 1720-1780.
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
Sugar became an essential commodity, and Barbados became the perfect area to grow profitable sugarcane. Initially, Barbadian planters utilized convict laborers, indentured servants, and Africans to work the sugarcane fields. However, as the small farms grew into larger plantations, more labor was required. Enslaved African Americans proved to be a cheap labor force and were easily accessible via the Triangular Trade. Soon afterward, England became involved in the slave trade.
The Southwell Frigate. The ship was employed as a slave ship by 1746. Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain).
The Transatlantic Slave Trade reached its height during the 18th century, with Britain becoming the largest participant by transporting an estimated 3.1 million enslaved Africans. Although 10-15% of Africans died during the crossing, many enslaved individuals survived. Small numbers of Africans were sold to the American colonies, while the Caribbean and Brazil received the most enslaved people. However, roughly 10-12 million enslaved people made it to colonial America.
Mercantilism and Triangular Trade
In Europe, Mercantilism was the dominant economic policy that believed there was a fixed amount of wealth in the world. This economic policy would be the driving force behind the triangular trade system. The main goal of this policy was to maintain a specific balance between exports and imports. For example, a country would want to have more exports than imports to benefit the economy. The second part of mercantilism focused on colonization and expansion, which would give mercantilists access to natural resources and raw materials.
Southern Harbour Scene with Merchants. Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain).
One of the most critical commodities/resources needed was a reliable workforce. Africans had become a resource for the labor shortage due to their experience in agriculture and slavery being a part of African society/norms. However, the need for cheap labor in Europe dehumanized enslaved Africans, making them just another tradable good.
Mercantilism
An economic system practiced by European powers. Balancing imports and exports was crucial as the system believed in a fixed amount of wealth. The colonial empires were used to import raw materials which would be processed and exported for profit.
Triangular Trade Route
Hawkins, as well as others, realized the profit potential that the Triangular Trade would bring. As a result, all three parts of the triangular trade system became lucrative for merchants. The second stage, known as the middle passage, was the most profitable due to the need for cheap labor in the colonies.
Atlantic Triangular Trade Route. Source: Isaac Perez Bolado, CC-BY-SA-3.0 Wikimedia Commons
The three stages of the triangular trade route were:
| Stage | Route | What was transported? |
| First | Europe to Africa | Natural and manufactured goods, such as alcohol, cloth, tobacco, beads, and guns, were shipped from Europe to Africa. These goods were traded for enslaved Africans. |
| Second | Africa to American colonies | This stage became known as the Middle Passage. Enslaved Africans were shipped to the American colonies. |
| Third | America to Europe | Slave labor was used to produce goods in America that were then shipped to Europe. Most of the labor was utilized in the South, where large agriculture plantations required cheap sources of labor. These goods included: sugar, rum, molasses, tobacco, and cotton. |
The Middle Passage
The middle passage was the second stage of the triangular trade route, where millions of enslaved people came by ship to the colonies. Conditions during the middle passage were cruel and dehumanizing. The duration of the trip would vary from one to six months based on the time of year and weather conditions. Enslaved individuals were purchased from African warlords and kings and then prepared for the brutal voyage. In Africa, enslaved people were forcibly marched to the ships where the crew chained them together.
Image depicting how enslaved people were transported on a ship. Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain).
Most ships fit as many Africans as possible into the hull to maximize profit. As a result, conditions in the hull were appalling. Diseases like fever, smallpox, and dysentery became prevalent due to a lack of sanitation. However, the crew forced captives to exercise on deck and fed them twice a day at best. In an attempt to resist, some individuals refused to eat, which often resulted in force-feeding. Any captives that died during the voyage got tossed overboard. Historians estimate that 10-15% of Africans died on the slave ships.
Benefits of the Triangular Trade
The triangular trade system benefited numerous countries, allowing economies to blossom. The triangular trade coupled with the consumer revolution created booming economies in both Britain and the thirteen colonies. Goods were traded for tropical fruits and other extravagant goods from the Caribbean and Brazil. However, triangular trade had the most significant impact on colonial America.
The triangular trade fundamentally transformed colonial American society by generating incredible wealth. The colonies' seaports transformed into thriving urban centers. The generation of wealth coupled with the explosion of urban centers gave rise to a consumer revolution in the colonies. Affluent families began to purchase more goods, which ultimately changed the shape of society. Thus, societal status would become directly linked to financial success.
The Consumer Revolution
Colonial America began to shift from individual manufacturing to creating goods for trade and mass consumption. Fueled by triangular trade, modern consumer patterns came from a revolution that started due to the increased accessibility of goods. Britain and the thirteen colonies participated in the revolution by utilizing, displaying, and purchasing consumer goods. Changes in lifestyles in colonial America and Britain also gave rise to consumerism.
A Morning ramble or the Milliners Shop 1782. Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain).
Wealthy colonists and British gentry were mainly concerned with what goods could be purchased to display their status and wealth. The consumer revolution would continue to impact colonial America well into the 1800s, beginning a modern commercial-industrial economy.
Importance of the Triangular Trade
Each stage of the triangular trade provided vital resources for countries’ economies.
The views of Judge Woodward and Bishop Hopkins on Negro slavery at the South. Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain).
Though the Triangular trade system brought the rapid spread of slavery into colonial America, it also brought about new economic opportunities. The colonies' increased need for slave labor kept the trade route economically vital for decades. With a large labor force available to the South, plantations increased rapidly. African American slave labor exploded the number of goods that were produced in the colonies, especially in the South.
Each stage had its specific role. Later on, W.E.B Du Bois explained New England's participation in the slave trade and how it correlated with rum, stating:
'The molasses that was carried to New England from the West Indies,' Du Bois explained… 'was made into the highly prized New England rum and shipped…to Africa for more slaves. The rum-distilling industry indicates to some extent the activity of New England in the slave trade.'1
Abolishment of Slave Trade Act
The abolishment of the slave trade began in the 19th century as abolitionists, and other supporters, aimed to end the sale and trade of enslaved people.
"Am I not a Man?" Emblem (during abolition). Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain).
After the American Revolution, the Northern states saw no need for slavery, and most passed laws abolishing the trade. However, the agricultural boom of the South still demanded cheap labor, and slavery continued. Enslaved upon birth, children of African slaves kept the system self-sufficient. However, while it was illegal to participate in the trafficking of slaves, sales and trade still occurred between the Caribbean Islands.
Eventually, in 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment was placed within the US Constitution which abolished slavery throughout the United States and freed over 100,000 enslaved people throughout the country.
Triangular Trade: Summary
European countries explored different areas in the world in search of wealth through trade in goods, natural resources, and people. The idea of mercantilism drove Britain and other countries to bring wealth into the state. This economic policy dominated economic thought for two centuries. The ultimate goal was to use mercantilism to achieve a correct ratio of trade that would bring gold and silver into the country. Thus, the triangular trade route emerged as a direct result of mercantilism.
Triangular Trade had positive economic implications for the countries directly involved in the trade route. For example, trade significantly impacted colonial life in America. The trade generated massive wealth for the merchant class, which would lead to a drastic change in America's social structure. However, Britain and America looked to abolish the legal sale of enslaved Africans in the early nineteenth century. In 1807 Britain Slave Trade Act, and most northern states in America moved to do the same. However, the institution of slavery continued in the southern states until 1865.
Triangular Trade - Key Takeaways
- Triangular Trade was a route that started in Europe and was used to supply enslaved African Americans and other goods to the thirteen colonies.
- The emergence of the triangular trade route was a direct result of Britain's mercantilist economic policy.
- The Triangular Trade consisted of three stages:
- First Stage - Manufactured European goods were shipped to Africa
- Second Stage - (Middle Passage) Enslaved Africans were loaded onto ships to be sold in the Americas
- Third Stage - Slave labor was used in the colonies to produce goods that would be shipped to Europe
- The transatlantic slave trade reached its height during the eighteenth century, with Britain becoming the largest trader of enslaved Africans transporting an estimated 3.1 million
- Slavery was eventually abolished in Britain in 1807, followed by Northern American states, but continued in the Southern states until 1865.
References
- W.E.B. Du Bois quoted in Paul Finkelman, The Slave Trade and Migration, (2019), pp 318.
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