The triangular trade was established a trade route across the Atlantic Ocean that took place from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century or so, having been abolished slavery in America. It was called with that name because of the way the boats were drawing on the map.
This practice united Europe, Africa and America through the commercialization and exchange of products by African slaves, who were transported to the island of the Antilles. There they were bought to force them to work in cotton, corn, sugar and other plantations, as well as in mines to extract precious metals.
Triangular trade united America, Africa, and Europe. Source: Sémhur
To start the route, the ships set sail from Europe to Africa with cloth, weapons and merchandise that they could exchange for slaves; once they reached Africa, they bartered the merchandise brought by African men, women and children. Then the boats left Africa to America, and there the slaves were sold to the landowners.
With the money obtained from the previous sale, they bought raw materials and basic products to be taken back to Western Europe, where they were consumed directly or used in various production processes.
This phenomenon allowed America to profit thanks to the new labor force that was the slaves, a factor that was decisive for its growth and economic expansion. Likewise, Europe benefited from products from America thanks to the African slave trade.
On the other hand, Africa suffered the consequences of this practice due to the immense amount of population that was forced to leave there against their will. Roughly twice as many men as women were enslaved, leaving Africa without much workforce and delaying economic progress in the region.
In addition, the mortality rates to which the slaves were exposed during the trip ranged between 8 and 12%, taking into account both adults and children, since the sanitary conditions of the vessels were not regulated or used to be in good state.
Origin
The origin of this long-standing practice dates back to approximately 1440, when the Portuguese for the first time captured and enslaved Africans who were then taken back to their country of origin, Portugal, as well as to France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.
After the arrival of Christopher Columbus, Hernando de Magallanes and Vasco de Gama to America in 1942, the foundations that gave structure to this new commercial model were established.
After the conquest of the American continent by the Europeans, they began to need a lot of labor to work in agriculture, since sugar cane, coffee and cotton began to be cultivated, so the slave trade grew incredibly.
In the same way, the extraction of metals such as gold and silver began to be introduced in the American continent. All the raw material that was produced was transported back to Europe so that the desired economic benefit could be achieved there.
Efficient triangle
This is how European merchants with experience in resource maximization and slavery came up with the idea of triangular trade: transporting merchandise such as weapons and necklaces to Africa, exchanging them for slaves, selling them in America and buying raw materials to take back. and sell in European markets.
The technique that allowed boats to travel between continents was based on taking advantage of the circulation of ocean currents and trade winds, which regularly occurred in summer and made the climatic conditions for boat trips optimal.
Countries
On the European continent, the participants in this trade route were mainly Portugal, Spain, France and the United Kingdom. From there they sailed to Africa via the Pacific Ocean.
In Africa, ships that came from European countries used to reach the Gulf of Guinea through the Senegal and Congo rivers, made up of an extensive list of countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo, among others.
Similarly, Africa being such a large continent, there were other favorite destinations, such as Ghana, Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Mozambique. It is estimated that at least 10 million African men were victims of slavery thanks to this trade structure.
American route
Once they left the products that came from Europe and loaded the slaves from Africa, the route to America began. On the American continent they had destinations in both North America and South America. In South America, its stops were concentrated in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
When the trade route ended, the fleet of ships returned to their country of origin in Europe, with merchandise ready to be marketed again in the markets.
The trade in products and people that resulted from the establishment of the practice of triangular trade gave an opportunity to initiate cultural exchange between the countries of the regions involved; in the same way, the gastronomy of Europe was expanded thanks to the food produced in America.
On the other hand, crossbreeding in America increased due to the mixture between African and local slaves. This miscegenation had already begun after colonization thanks to the relationships that developed between European colonizers and aborigines of the region.
products
Mainly, from Europe to Africa manufactured products such as necklaces, ropes, mirrors, cheap fabrics and handicrafts were traded.
These merchandise did not usually represent much value for European markets, they were basic and popular products that were easily exchanged in African markets in exchange for their human capital.
In America they were loaded with colonial products and raw materials, among which were coffee, cocoa, tobacco, sugar, rice, cotton, rum and furs, as well as precious metals such as gold and silver.
This merchandise, bought in America with the income from the sale of slaves, was re-sold in European markets.
References
- Álvarez, M. (2011). Sub-Saharan Africa: Capitalist System and International Relations. Retrieved on March 2 from the Network of Virtual Libraries of Latin America and the Caribbean: library.clacso.edu.ar
- (2018). Triangular trade and its impact on today's economy. Retrieved on March 2 from the EAE Business School Supply Chain Blog: challenges-operaciones-logistica.eae.es
- (nd) What we learned from triangular trade and what remains for us to demonstrate. Retrieved on March 2 from OBS Business School: ods-edu.com
- (sf) The trade triangle. Retrieved March 2 from International Slavery Museum: liverpool.museums.org.uk
- (sf) The triangular trade. Retrieved March 2 from BBC: bbc.com