The Triangle Trade
From the 1400's to the 1850's approximately 20 million African slaves were taken from their communities to the Americas to work on farming plantations. Ships from the Americas would carry crops and raw materials to Europe and unload. Then they would pack on guns, iron and trinkets from Europe to trade with Africans.
African traders captured slaves from African communities in exchange for the European manufactured goods (guns/iron tools/trinkets). They would load the slaves into boats to sail to the Americas. Many died during this "Middle Passage" (trip to America) due to crowded, unsanitary conditions beneath the ship's decks. Click the photo to see a dramatization of the slave trade- and be aware- the images are graphic.
Once the ships got to the Americas they would unload the slaves, load up crops and raw materials and head to Europe to start the cycle over again.
Money and greed drove this cycle for over 400 years. The trade depopulated Africa and tore apart communities. Many cultural traditions were lost due to the trade.
When the slave trade was deemed illegal in the 1850's, what do you think would happen next for Africa?