Slave Trade Essay

Slave trade began in 1441, when the Portuguese began bringing in African slaves to their country and their islands to work. This was perpetuated when the Spanish began to buy slaves from the Portuguese. The Spanish wanted slaves to work their new sugar plantations in North America. Between 1518 and 1850 more then eleven million Africans were transported to the new world. This was the Atlantic Slave Trade, it made many nations very prosperous by receiving free or very cheap labor from these people. It also allowed growth in the African nations, with the trading or stealing of people, these nations could become very powerful.

Olaudah grew up as part of the Igbo tribe in West Africa, which is located in Isseke, Nigeria. The Igbo people did not have a strong government or defense system and therefore were targets of slave raids. These other nations would steal people from their villages and sell them to British merchants or other nations. Olaudah recalls the adults going to work or look for food and the children would all gather in a central place together. One or several children would climb into a tree to keep an eye out for any assailants or kidnappers. One day when him and his sister were home alone; three people, two men and one woman climbed over their wall. They grabbed the two children quickly and covered their mouths, Then ran into the nearest wood.

"Such mode of obtaining slaves in Africa is common; and I believe more are procured this way (captured from battles) and by kidnapping then any other." In this time when traders wanted to obtain slaves he would ask the chief of the tribe. The Chief would be tempted with goods from the new world, and enticed to do "business" with this trader. If the chief agrees there is a b...

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... and cut. Olaudah also witnessed a man get flogged on the deck so severely that he died from it, and the ship hands tossed his body overboard. This only caused him more anxiety about his fate. "One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they (deck hands) had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on the deck, rather then give any of them to us to eat as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again." These people were mercenary, and had no compassion for the Africans.

Olaudah was one of the lucky slaves, he ended up learning to read, and was trained as a ship hand. He was an explorer, a merchant, abolitionist, and writer. He suffered many hardships throughout his life, but I believe that in the end they worked to help him become a stronger person, and able to accomplish many goals.