Editor's Choice
What was the triangular trade?
Quick answer:
The triangular trade was a network of commerce controlled by Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. It involved three stages: British ships carried manufactured goods to Africa, exchanged them for enslaved Africans, who were then transported to the Americas via the "middle passage." In the Americas, slaves were sold, and the ships returned to Britain loaded with goods like sugar, tobacco, and cotton. This trade cycle significantly impacted economies and societies across these regions.
Triangular trade is the term given for the network of trade controlled by Britain during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In this network, ships were loaded with manufactured goods in Britain and then headed to Africa with those goods. The goods were then traded for African slaves, who were oftentimes people who had been captured in war or by slave dealers. The slaves were then forced onto excessively overcrowded ships to be shipped to the Americas. This part of the journey was known as the "middle passage" because it was the second leg of the three-leg journey making up the trade network.
When the slaves arrived in the Americas, they were unloaded and sold into slavery, usually in the Caribbean and Southern colonies. At this point, the slaves became the property of their owners.
Once the slaves were sold, the traders purchased goods like sugar, tobacco, and cotton, which were grown in large quantities in the Americas. Once the traders procured these goods and other raw materials, they returned to Britain.
See the attached image for a visual representation of triangular trade.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.
References