The rise of slavery began with early civilizations using slaves for labor on farms, mines, and other work. Slavery increased with the rise of European colonialism between 1500-1700 as Europeans enslaved Africans and used them in the Transatlantic slave trade. This "Triangular Trade" involved Europeans exchanging goods for African slaves, who were then brought to the Americas and traded for goods like molasses to bring back to Europe. The growth of the cotton industry in the Americas increased the demand for slave labor to pick cotton. Slavery began declining in the 1800s as countries abolished the practice, though it still exists today in the form of human trafficking.

1. Part 2: Slavery
• Your goal:
Describe the
reasons for the
rise and decline
of slavery.
Am I not a man and a brother?

2. The rise of slavery
• Hunter-gatherers had no use for a slave
– Hunt and gather what you need
– Who needs another mouth to feed?
• Cities, large farms or workshops
– Extra help means more money
• War was the main source of slaves.
– Kill some, enslave the others.

3. The rise of slavery
• Babylon 1700 BC
• Greece 600 BC
– Domestic servants
– Personal assistants
• Rome 200 BC
– Mining
– Agriculture
– Entertainment

4. The rise of slavery
• 500 – 1500 AD
– Germany
• Captured Slavic peoples (Slav – Slave)
– Mediterranean
• African slave traders
– European slavery turns into feudalism
• Serfs are slaves that are attached to land

5. The rise of slavery
• 1500 – 1700 AD
– Portugal
– Explorers discover
oceanic route to
source of slaves

6. The rise of slavery
• 1500 – 1700 AD
– Sub-Saharan Africa
Sahara Desert
was the source of
most slaves
– Portugal used them
for cotton and indigo
– Portugal established a
monopoly in the slave
trade

7. The rise of slavery: Triangular Trade
• Trade between three places
– Europe
– Africa
– America

8. The rise of slavery: Triangular Trade
• Step 1
– Buy guns and rum in Europe
• Step 2
– Sell guns and rum in Africa
– (Traded for captured African slaves)
– Guns are used to capture more Africans as slaves.

9. The Middle Passage
• The voyage
between Africa
and America
• At least one
month at sea
• Sometimes an
entire year

10. Slaves were crowded onto ships
How many slaves
will fit without
dying on the
voyage?
Many died along
the way.

11. The rise of slavery: Triangular Trade
• Step 3
– Sell African slaves in America
– (Traded for molasses)
– Slaves are used on plantations that make
molasses.
• Step 4
– Sell molasses in Europe
– Molasses is used to make rum
– Buy guns and rum

12. The rise of slavery: Cotton
• Cotton Gin
– Now two people can clean as much cotton in one
day that used to take 100 people.

13. The Cotton Gin
Why might this help end slavery?
Why might this increase slavery?

14. Cotton Economy
• Profitable for the southern United States
• Plantations NEEDED slave labor
– Pick cotton
– Process cotton
• The northern states did not need slaves
– Industry, not agriculture
– Spin cotton into cloth

15. Cotton Economy
• Within 10 years, cotton in US leaped from
$150,000 to $8 million!
• US Civil War started partially because of the
South’s need for slaves

16. The decline of slavery
Reasons for the decline of slavery:
– Slaves are not competitive
• Pay someone and they will work harder
– Slaves can revolt
• Strikes, destruction, murder
– White working class people demanded it end.
• Morality
• Sympathy
• Not profiting from slavery

17. The decline of slavery
• Europe ends serfdom by 1500
• England ends slavery in 1833
• Russia ends serfdom in 1861
• USA ends slavery in 1865
– 13th Amendment to the Constitution
• Spain ends slavery in 1886
• Brazil ends slavery in 1888

18. Slavery is not gone.
• Slavery is being forced to work without pay or
the option of leaving.
• Slavery is illegal everywhere, but still happens
everywhere.
• 27 million slaves in the world
• It is called human trafficking

19. Slavery is not gone.
Slaves are in
• Brothels
• Homes
• Fields
• Mines
• Restaurants
• Anywhere it is profitable.

20. Human Trafficking in Los Angeles