Why triangular trade was important

They ambushed and captured local people in Africa. Most slave ships got their enslaved people from British 'factors', who lived full-time in Africa and bought enslaved people from local African chiefs. The chiefs would raid a rival village and sell their captured enemies as slaves.

Thus it was that Africans were quickly reduced from humanity to inanimate objects of trade and economic calculation. The world economy was growing rapidly. More goods were being made and traded than ever before. Slavery was essential to this growth. Slaves were the 'human lubricant of the whole system', James Walvin. Transatlantic slavery was basically triangular. At one point on the triangle was Europe. Manufactured and luxury goods from Europe such as textiles, guns and gunpowder , knives, copper kettles, mirrors and beads were taken across to the west African coast.

William Austin Burt patented the U. We're soaking up the story behind this LeslieKeno appraisal! Support provided by: Learn more. Posted 1. Author Ben Phelan. Ben Phelan is a freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky. More from PBS. Muhammad Ali Examine the life and legacy of a global icon. In general, though, historians believe that the slave trade irreparably harmed Africa.

The trade caused a decline in the population, particularly the population of young men, which led to economic fragility. The continent fell far behind the growth of the developing world, opening it up to European colonization in the 19th century.

Sir John Hawkins: An officer of the Royal Navy considered to be the first European trade to profit from triangular trade. What role did sugar have in triangular trade? A Traders in West Africa traded sugar in exchange for slaves. B Traders in the Caribbean traded sugar in exchange for slaves. C North American colonists traded slaves in exchange for sugar. D Europeans traded manufactured goods in exchange for sugar.