The Columbian Exchange and The Transatlantic Slave Trade in Colonial America

During the 17th and 18th centuries, America began to develop more and more into its own country. The development was mainly caused by the impacts of International Trades. International Trades is the exchange of capital goods in general and services across other countries or territories. The evolution of trades engaged other parties and started an era of having resources and goods. Transatlantic trades played a huge role in what America was going to become. Slaves were just the starting point of this evolution. The exchanges had multiple goods such as cash crops, slaves, foods, and diseases. The trades during the 17th and 18th century all reflect if North America really change its habits compare to British people. Additionally, if America was more or less integrated compared to the British Empire. Furthermore, exchanges played role in finding out if America really changed compared to the Foreign Empire.

The Columbian Exchange, otherwise known as the Columbian Interchange, was named after Christopher Columbus. During the 1400’s this exchange dealt mainly with animals, food, population, and disease. Products, such as species and diseases, were a byproduct of the exchange. The majority of this exchange had dealt with cultural exchange and the transfer of people between continents. Trading products played a key role in finding new ideas and understanding the importance of certain objects to different cultures. New foods were created, and the production of tobacco products resulted from the Columbian Interchange. Contrary to the positive effects of this exchange, diseases were also transported between locations. This quickly became the leading cause of death in the New World. Although there were many diseases carried, the most significant one was smallpox. “European diseases made the Columbian exchange catastrophic for Native Americans.” Although people suffered through the diseases, they also wanted to come to America so that they could have freedom to live and have their own family to build and grow. All these points show how America has some similarities to the British Empire. The majority of our principles came from the British and our culture shows how people are being treated and who’s in command.

The Atlantic Slave Trade, or Transatlantic Slave Trade, involved the transportation of enslaved African people mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and the Middle Passage that existed from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The vast majority of those who were enslaved and transported during the Transatlantic Slave Trade originated from Central and West Africa. Typically, wealthier West Africans would sell the slaves to Western European slave traders, who then brought them to the Americas. The South Atlantic and Caribbean economies were extremely dependent on the supply of slave labor for the production of commodity crops, as well as making goods and clothing to sell in Europe. This was crucial to Western European countries, which in the late 17th and 18th centuries, were competing to create oversea empires. The Portuguese, in the 16th century, were the first to engage in the Atlantic Slave Trade. Ship-owners considered the slaves to be cargo, which needed to be transported to the Americans as quickly and as inexpensively as possible. Slaves were usually kept in a factory while awaiting shipment. Current studies show that there were about 12 million Africans shipped across the Atlantic in over 400 years. In the early 19th century, various governments acted to ban the trade, although illegal smuggling still occurred. From the lecture, it states, “Without slavery, there is no colonial America.” The statement shows how extremely significant as slavery held a key role in developing America into what it is today, such as trade of goods and commodities, which created vast amount of demands for labor in the colonies. The lives of slaves were very traumatizing and inhumane. The slave trade in itself was brutal and horrific, and the lifelong consequences of being a part of it were horrifying for slaves. Although unjust, the Transatlantic Slave Trade laid the foundation for modern capitalism, making immense wealth for business in American and Europe. The impacts that Europeans had on the slaves were tragic and revolting. Africa, in turn, experienced a major loss of population. This loss led to the social and political weakening of its society, eventually leading to destruction and exploitation of its people.

Although taking place in different parts of the world, the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Columbian Exchange had many similarities. The connection that was very popular throughout many trades were disease and epidemic, it started to create sickness. Later on, it led to an increase of vaccination and researchers finding out how to kill the virus or sickness that’s spreads by simply touching someone or something. Indians and African Americas suffered the most during this time and since there was not enough research done, there was no treatments or cures. According to the William Bradford, it explains how the disease affects foreigners and even Europeans. “… Some would crawl out on all four to get a little water, and sometimes die by the way, and not be able to get in again.” Bradford explains how the struggle of living was harsh through diseases and that there was no cure until Europeans were immune to it and had to wag-off wars. Especially to Indians was the most impact because it hit the whole community at once.

In the end, Colonial America fought through many trials and tribulation. The hardship of growing into the country we see now was tough back in the day. America was more integrated to British because they show similarities and shared similar style of government and showed the same traits back in Europe with trades and slaves. Many people risked their lives to be part of something new and not being able to see what it is today. Making trades and commodities wouldn’t have happen in today world without slaves and people transferring other resources to colonial America. People would not have found out about different cultures or foods without trades and community join together and expanding their culture to others and being part of something great. Without each aspect of resources colonial America couldn’t have been great as it is today and without the help of other ethnicity or culture America would have struggled and not grow to what its potential goal was. Nevertheless, America shows great hardship and fought to gain freedom and made smart decision and be ready for what’s next.