The Transatlantic slave trade was a dark chapter in American history, lasting from the early 1700s to 1865. It involved the forced transportation of millions of Africans to the Americas, primarily for labor in plantations. This practice had profound economic, social, and political consequences, ultimately leading to the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery.
Key points:
- Approximately 12.5 million slaves were transported from Africa to America, with 500,000 arriving in the USA.
- The trade operated on a triangular route between Africa, Europe, and America.
- Slavery was more prevalent in the agricultural South than in the industrialized North.
- The American Civil War (1861-1865) was largely fought over the issue of slavery.
- Slavery's abolition in 1865 contributed to America's economic rise and superpower status.
