The Challenges of Drug Tracking, Slaves and Guns in The U.s Between 1600 and 1860

The period between 1600 and 1860 was the height of the slaves, guns and drugs trafficking. They were trafficked by the British from one place to another. Slaves were trafficked initially by the Portuguese until the British overtook them and became the biggest slave trafficker in the year 1700s. They trafficked African slaves from the coastal areas of Africa such as Benin and Liberia to their countries to work in their plantations (Gibbons 1). Before the start of the transatlantic slave trade the native slaves, the Amerindian slaves worked in the Caribbean and West Indies plantations. They also worked in New York territories until a majority of them died because of overworking and diseases (Eltis 20). Also, the British traded gold coins, guns and gunpowder with the African political elite leaders in exchange for slaves. Lastly, they sold Opium drugs to China to boost Europe’s economy as China had a large market with very high demands. They also sold tobacco, coffee and tea. The European and American economies benefitted from these traffics that they made sure continued no matter what the obstacles were. The following ideas support the opinion that demand was more important in the development and continuation of the three traffics (slaves, guns and drugs) between 1600 and 1860.

Slave Trade

Slaves were trafficked by the Dutch in early years before 1700. They were captured by the Dutch or fellow Africans and delivered in very crowded and brutal conditions across the Atlantic Ocean. During the periods of 1600 and 1860, 9 and 11 million African slaves were brought to U. S through the transatlantic slave trade. The demand for African slaves varied from colony to colony depending on their economic structures. Demand was more important in development and continuation of the three traffics between 1600 and 1800. The economies of some colonies centered on large-scale agricultural production. Colonies such as colonial Virginia, North and South Carolina and Maryland. They could profit from the sale of products especially cash crops such as sugar, tobacco, rice, indigo and later cotton, hence, they needed a large number of manual labor to work on the plantations (Anstey, 5). People who would plant, cultivate and harvest these crops. Thus, the high demand for African slaves led to the continuation of slaves trafficking. These southern colonies met their demands by the vast enslavement of Africans. Slavery was, therefore, necessary to the plantation-based economies. Around mid-1600s Colonists, especially those from Virginia noticed how agricultural production in the Caribbean and West Indies flourished following the use of Amerindian slaves (Eltis 20). So they decided they would also sanction African slavery. They had to get able-bodied men from Africa following the depletion of the productive Amerindian slaves after they were brutally handled by the colonists.

Also, there was high demand for African slaves to work on the roads and forts in New York territories since the group of Indians had started rebelling and causing war. The Dutch West Indies Company, therefore, was tasked with the responsibility for bringing slaves to New York territories. Evidence exists that in the year 1644 the Dutch West Indies Company trafficked in 6,900 captives from the coasts of Africa (Gibbons 1). Furthermore, in Hudson Valley, there was high demand for farm workers. Landowners in this area owned approximately 3 of every five slaves in the region. The reason for the high demand was because of the monopoly of lands by the elite in the society. The colonists participated in the slave trade for economic reasons. Slaves were like a property that is owned by those who could afford. A slave was also like a property that could be bought and sold, used to settle debts with others. The prices for slaves was very high in the different colonies. An example of a case is in Netherlands between 1636 and 1646. Here the price of slaves rose by 300 percent. Around 1660 African slaves could go for 300 guilders. And as time went by the prices of slaves of slaves rose to 600 guilders and more. It shows how much high demand for slaves was (Gibbons 1). These slaves were ordered in large numbers by the British, Spanish, Portuguese and the Dutch to help improve their economies. The slave trade was, thus, driven by demand and greed of the colonists. In other words, the European demand for slaves, hence, provided the largest market for slaves ever. Labour shortage and the increased death of the indigenous slaves then created for the demand for the African slaves (Smith 1).

Guns Traffic

Slave Trade took place between the European colonists and African leaders. The African leaders sold the captives in exchange for a variety of goods such as guns, ammunition and other manufactured goods. Most gun producing towns benefitted from the trade such as Birmingham, the largest gun manufacturing city in Britain. They could supply guns to be traded for slaves. African leaders attracted economic benefits from trading their slaves. The state of Benin took part in voluntary slave trade only for the benefits they were receiving. They officially joined the transatlantic slave trade. The continuation of the slave trade was, hence, fueled by the African leaders for their selfish gains. It was specifically for the political elite in the society to gain economic advantage. They received military technology such as guns and gunpowder, and gold among others (Smith 1). The Africans preferred trading with the French and the British for slaves instead of the Portuguese because they had less to offer, unlike their counterparts. These colonies were also willing to sell guns to Africans unlike the Portuguese. The Portuguese tried to enforce trading monopolies which were not effective. Guns were hard to manufacture at the time, and only a few people could have access to them. The demand by the African leaders, therefore, fueled their manufacture as they were used in the slave trade.

Drugs Traffic

The colonists also took part in tobacco farming. Virginia colonists planted tobacco, a cash crop at Jamestown to save their colony from collapsing. The tobacco was shipped to other economies to attract money that they needed. For example, Virginia’s first shipment of tobacco took place in 1617 in London to attract good prices. Tobacco farming and slavery were practised strictly by the colonists. These two dominated the Virginia society for a long time about 240 years (Allingham, 1). They purchased African slaves to work in their tobacco farms. The drug was initial to be used for medicinal purposes but with time people learned about its effects and started using it for other immoral reasons. As the business boomed, the people began exporting tobacco to other economies at around 1750. Morphine and Opium were used for relieving pain. Its demand rose especially in the year 1860 as the addiction to those drugs increased. The Chinese also bought Opium in exchange for silver and gold coins to the British, who monopolized the market (Allingham, 1). What followed was a strong addiction to the drug by the Chinese people. It eventually leads to the imbalance of trade with the West. Around 1810, the Chinese government spent most of its silver dollars in cotton, tea and silks among others. However, around 1837 opium represented a bigger percentage of Chinese imports, 57% (Allingham, 1). This practice affected their soldiers that were to take part in the war against their enemies. The opium generated the first war between China and the British. For the demand for opium and tobacco to be met, the British needed more labour to work on their plantations and thus the increased purchase of slaves. European explorers such as Columbus also found and brought mind-affecting drugs to Europe. The country transformed from an alcohol the only culture to a multi-drug culture (Allingham, 1). They included tobacco, cocaine, nicotine, caffeine and opium among others.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to understand that the slave trade developed as a result of labour shortages and death of native slaves due to overworking and diseases. The European and American colonies needed able-bodied men that could only be sought from Africa. The Portuguese then started the slaves trafficking until the 1700s when the British and the French took over from them (Smith 1). Many African political elite leaders participated in the transatlantic slave trade, for economic advantages. They sold slave captives, prisoners and criminals and in return received guns, gunpowder and gold. They traded more with the British and the Dutch as they offered them firearms that they needed for less. The slaves were used as manual labour in various plantations and also house servants. They planted, cultivated and harvested products especially cash crops such as sugar, indigo, tobacco and cotton. They also built roads and forts like in New York colony. They, therefore, helped boost the economy of America and Europe through high agricultural productions such as those of the Caribbean and West Indies. During this time, approximately 9 and 11 million slaves were captured and brought to America through the transatlantic slave trade (Gibbons 1). Drugs trade also took place during the period of 1600 and 1860. The British grew drugs such as Tobacco in their plantations and sold to other economies. Opium, a drug was also grown on Indian farms and sold by the British to China. Both drugs were sold for medicinal purposes until the people discovered the other effects it had on them. Most people in China took the drug more and were even addicts. China did not appreciate this and started a war with the British. This war was known as the first Opium War. Therefore, demand was more important in the development and continuation of the three traffics (slaves, guns and drugs) between 1600 and 1860. This period was marked by many practices that helped improve the West Economies but have adverse effects on the African countries and China.