Global Exploration and Global Empires 1500-1700 Essay - 1

Global Exploration and Global Empires 1500-1700 - Essay Example The use of African slaves was very favorable for planters. First, Blacks were better adapted to wearisome physical work in the hot climate than white Europeans or Indians; secondly, taken out far from the habitats of their own tribes, not having any idea how to come back home, they were less inclined to escapes. In the middle of the XX century almost all the black population of the American continent was the descendants of the slaves taken out from Africa. In total about 13 million African slaves were imported to the British North America and later to the USA. On average, only one from 3-5 captured slaves was brought to a plantation, the others perished during the capture and transportation. According to the estimates of researchers, as a result of a slave trade Africa lost about 80 million lives (Slavery Timeline). In Europe the use of a slave labor was resumed and mass slave trade, which prospered up to the XIX century began. Africans were captured in their native lands, loaded on ships and sent to destination. The Irish captured by British during the conquest of Ireland in 1649 — 1651 prevailed among "white slaves". Intermediate position between exiled and free colonists was occupied by the "sold in a service": people sold their freedom for the right to move to colonies and to work it off there again. Considerable part of the Irish population, including women and children, was turned into white slaves and took out to English colonies in West Indies. During this period People in Ireland cost less than wolves: English soldiers were paid 5 pounds for the head of "the rebel or the priest" and 6 pounds — for the wolf ‘s head (Slave Trade Statistics). In the XVII—XVIII centuries Dahomey played a significant role in a slave trade and conducted fierce fight against the rivals: Allada, which was attacked by Dahomey in 1724 for the first time and captured in 1730, and Whydah captured in