The+Atlantic+Circuit

= __//Th//____//e Atlantic Circuit//__ = Hannah Belle

__//Found on page 513- 516//__

The Atlantic Circuit was a clockwise network of sea routes. It began in Europe, went south to Africa, ran west through the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, and then returned back to Europe. Each branch of the journey provided the sailors and merchants traveling it great profit.



Traveling from Europe to Africa is the first leg of the journey. The goods transported were usually hardware- like metal bars and guns- all manufactured in Europe. They also transported cotton textiles- made in India. These goods were traded for West African gold, timber, ivory, as well as a few other African products. Slaves were also bought and then transported using the Middle Passage across the Atlantic Ocean. The Middle Passage was the second leg of the Atlantic Circuit where the slaves were transported to and kept on plantation colonies. On the final leg, plantation goods from the colonies are transported back to Europe. This trade route was so advantageous due to the fact that each leg of the journey transported goods that were ample and in cheap supply from one place then to another where the same goods are rare and are of more value. As long as a ship traveling on this trade route had a successful and profitable journey, they could make much more profit than it had cost them throughout the journey.



The Atlantic Circuit is one among many different trade routes used to bring in wealth and diverse goods into Europe. A few examples of these routes and their products can be seen below:
 * Cargo ships took African gold and American silver from Europe to the Indian Ocean and in return received cotton textiles needed to trade with Africa
 * From Europe to the West Indies manufactured goods were traded for foodstuffs
 * The same goods from England and the West Indies were traded with New England for lumber
 * Massachusetts and Rhode Island merchants were also included in the "Triangular Trade"
 * The "Triangular Trade" transported rum to the West Africa, Slaves to West Indies, and molasses and rum to New England
 * A two- way trade existed between Brazil and Angola which traded slaves for Brazilian tobacco and liquor
 * Canada was also included in a few trade routes for its valuable furs
 * Brazil and Portugal traded sugar and gold for European imports



The Atlantic System was controlled by and benefited Europe the most. One of the trade route's most sought products was sugar. Europe's social classes began to be able to afford much more sugar which helped to make their food more flavor filled. In order to keep the sugar flowing abundantly into Europe the demand for slaves increased. The Middle Passage increased greatly due to this, showing how successful the Atlantic System really was. The slave trade boomed once the Americas were discovered. It went from 800,000 Africans in the first one hundred and fifty years to an incredible 7.5 million slaves being transported through this system across the Atlantic at its height.



The Atlantic slave trade was mostly run by chartered companies. The English Royal African Company and the Dutch West India Company were major vanguards in the slave industry. English traders controlled 40%, French traders had 20%, Portugal had 30%, the dutch Traders had 6%, and the 3% went to North American traders.



On the long perilous 6 to 10 week voyages the slaves had to make many of them died. Only about 87% to 74% survived them, which is why the slave traders had to buy slaves at cheap prices. Many slaves would try to escape from the cargo ships, which usually ended with their death. In order to prevent this the slaves were chained together, as well as having a netting around the outside of the ship to catch any slaves who would try to jump. The male slaves were particularly troublesome. They were known for mutinies and were kept below deck for most of the voyage. Any slave who did rebel was instantly put to death to help suppress their fighting spirit. Slaves were also prone to getting malnourished and psychologically depressed. The slave women were violated and the men were beat on a daily basis. However, the most deaths on these cargo ships were attributed to disease- the most devastating of them were dysentery and small pox. The unsanitary and crowded conditions the slaves were forced to live in on the ships was a breeding ground for sickness. The Africans' immune systems were not resistant to European diseases, while the sailors' immune systems were not strong enough to stand the tropical diseases. Ironically enough, on normal voyages the percentage of the slave's mortality rate was equal to the crew's.