Week 3 Trade and Overseas Empires

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Response and Annotation: Trade and Overseas Empires Chad Davenport HIWD 560: History of the Atlantic World February 1, 2024

Chapter Review The readings for this week covered the nuanced evolution of the Atlantic World and the many wars and developments that took place during this time because of trade. In his book "The Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians, and Their Shared History," Thomas Benjamin's fourth chapter explored the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in the Atlantic region from the perspective of the Spanish and Portuguese. The Iberian empires connected peoples in Europe, Africa, and the Americas through commercial, social, cultural, political, and administrative exchanges. 1 The people, animals, plants, illnesses, goods, manufactures, traditions, and ideas that flowed via these encounters created patterns and networks that historians dubbed the "Columbian exchange." 2 In the sixteenth century, the Habsburg Empire became the new dynastic superpower. Several events and people contributed significantly during this time, and the chapter is divided into two sections. 3 "Incursions, The French and Dutch Invasions of the Iberian Atlantic," Chapter 5 of the same book, explored the wars that resulted from other European nations' ambitions to reach the Atlantic globe, which altered several facets of the New globe. After Columbus's first journey to America, the Spanish Pope Alexander VI recognized Portuguese control over West Africa and awarded the crown of Castile to all "islands and mainland" west of an arbitrary limit in the mid- Atlantic. 4 The influence of Christianity at this time led to the adjustment of Portugal and Castile's respective territory claims in the mid-oceanic boundary by the Treaty of Tordesillas. 5 Following 1 Benjamin, Thomas. Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians and Their Shared History, 1400-1900. Cambridge, 2009. 2 Ibid 3 Ibid 4 Ibid 5 Ibid 1

the Iberian Atlantic, the chapter describes how Portugal and Spain benefited greatly from the riches that Africa and America generated. Portugal prospered from its sugar crops, silver, and gold as the slave trade changed. Due to this financial route, other countries began to intrude and build ships to explore the New World. 6 In the fourth chapter of their book "Major Problems in Atlantic History," Alison Games and Adam Rothman discussed European threats to Iberian Hegemony. The subject they set out to address was, "How did conflicts involving religion and politics affect the Atlantic World?" This chapter examines the changes in the Atlantic region between 1560 and 1660. Several intricate factors caused most of the change, chief among them being the Protestant Reformation. The Atlantic became a battleground for souls and treasure because of intense economic, dynastic, and diplomatic conflicts and fresh theological hostility. 7 Rivals to Habsburg's hegemony emerged with the rise of the English, French, and Dutch. The fate of the attempt to overthrow Habsburg control emerged partly due to these operations. 8 The other articles and papers in this chapter examined several international wars and their effects on the Atlantic region. Chapter 5 of the same book addressed the effects of the Columbian Exchange, a topic covered in Alfred W. Crosby's book "The Columbian Exchange." He studied the diseases that followed animal invasions, traders, and seafarers from Europe. He also looked at how American foods affected diets across the Atlantic. This chapter's pieces examined the interactions between Europeans, African Americans, and Native Americans and how each group responded to strange 6 Benjamin, Thomas. Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians and Their Shared History, 1400-1900. Cambridge, 2009. 7 Rothman, Alison Games, and Alan. Major Problems in Atlantic History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. 8 IBid 2

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cuisines, animals, and illnesses. 9 It investigated, for instance, how chocolate was brought to Europe and how the native people employed inventiveness to grow corn. Ralph A. Austen and Woodruff D. Smith thoroughly examined the slave-sugar triangle, consumerism, and European industrialization in their journal paper "Private Tooth Decay as Public Economic Virtue: The Slave-Sugar Triangle, Consumerism, and European Industrialization." The consumers of sugar, tobacco, and other European plantation crops were studied. These customers had the opportunity to purchase lung cancer and dental decay at somewhat cheaper costs than they would have in the absence of the slave trade. 10 Their findings showed that the British transatlantic slave trade only "benefited" consumers, and even those advantages were marginal. 11 The main lessons to be learned from these readings are the different forces that influenced the Atlantic World during this time, such as the need for consumer goods, religion, and culture. Resolve played a major role in the rivalry of the Atlantic world's nations, and the needs and desires of consumer markets everywhere were essential to the development of European empires. Aside from the intense resource extraction, other factors that affected this period were the emergence of new types of slavery, new forms of agricultural production using sugar, and the evolution of racial and racist beliefs. The readings brought to light the negative aspects of this period, such as the trade in human persons, the devastation caused by illnesses to native communities, and the wars resulting from religious and political disagreements. My 9 Crosby, Alfred. The Colombian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492. Praeger, 2003. 10 Smith, Ralph A. Austen and Woodruff. "Private Tooth Decay as Public Economic Virute: The Slave-Sugar Triangle, Consumerism, and European Industrialization." Social Science History 14, no. 1 (1990): 95 - 115. 11 IBid 3

knowledge of this era's Atlantic World and the intricate forces that formed it has expanded due to these readings. Major Takeaways and Understanding The writings about the Atlantic World in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries provide valuable insights into the intricate interactions that shaped this era of history. Thomas Benjamin's "The Atlantic World" delves into the complex web of trade, politics, and culture that connects Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Chapter 4 of the book explores these relationships. This connection has worldwide effects on diets, health, and societies on both sides of the Atlantic, as the idea of the Columbian trade highlights. To further highlight the dynamic power struggles and territorial disputes that typified this age, consider the growth of the Habsburg Empire as a dominating force in the sixteenth century, together with the battles and invasions discussed in Chapter 5. In "Major Problems in Atlantic History," Alison Games and Adam Rothman address the transforming power of religious and political conflicts, especially those between 1560 and 1660. Political dynamics and theological ideas were affected by the Protestant Reformation and the power struggles that followed, transforming the Atlantic into a disputed space. To further illuminate the unequal distribution of benefits, Ralph A. Austen and Woodruff D. Smith examined the economic aspects of the transatlantic slave trade in their journal paper. All of the readings together provide light on the darker sides of the Atlantic World, such as human exploitation and the severe effects of illness on native communities, in addition to the political and economic forces at play. The Colombian Exchange's impact on the trade routes and population of the New World was unmatched. New crops and diseases were spread into the New World, which had an effect that still lasts to this day in this part of the world. 4

Annotated Bibliography Richardson, David. “Shipboard Revolts, African Authority, and the Atlantic Slave Trade.” The William and Mary Quarterly 58, no. 1 (2001): 69–92. https://doi.org/10.2307/2674419. David Richardson is an author who is known for his work on the African Slave trade and the impact that it had on the Atlantic. In this article, Richardson explores the dynamics of shipboard revolts during the Atlantic slave trade, focusing on the role of African authority in suppressing such rebellions. He argues that while shipboard revolts were a common occurrence during the slave trade, they were often quelled through the intervention of African merchants and officials. Richardson draws on various primary sources, including court records, slave narratives, and contemporary accounts, to provide a nuanced analysis of how African and European actors interacted during these incidents. The article is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different aspect of shipboard revolts. In the first section, Richardson provides an overview of the slave trade and the prevalence of shipboard revolts. He notes that while such rebellions were often unsuccessful, they nevertheless represented a significant challenge to the authority of slave traders and ship captains. In the second section, Richardson examines the role of African merchants and officials in suppressing revolts. He argues that African intermediaries played a crucial role in maintaining order on slave ships, often using a combination of force and negotiation to bring rebellions to an end. In the third section, Richardson focuses on the experiences of enslaved Africans during shipboard revolts. He notes that while such rebellions often failed, they nevertheless represented a powerful assertion of agency and resistance by enslaved people. In the final section, Richardson reflects on the broader implications of shipboard revolts for our understanding of the Atlantic slave trade. He argues that these incidents reveal the complex and dynamic nature of the slave trade and challenge simplistic narratives of European dominance and African passivity. Richardson, David. “The Slave Trade, Sugar, and British Economic Growth, 1748- 1776.” The Journal of Interdisciplinary History 17, no. 4 (1987): 739–69. https://doi.org/10.2307/204652 . 5

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David Richardson is an author who is known for his work on the African Slave trade and the impact that it had on the Atlantic. In this article, Richardson examines the effects of the transatlantic slave trade and the sugar industry on British economic growth in the mid-18th century. He argues that the slave trade and sugar production were integral to the development of the British economy in this period and contributed significantly to the accumulation of British capital. Richardson's arguments are supported by a range of primary sources, which he uses to build a convincing case for the importance of these industries to British economic growth. The article is also written in a clear and accessible style, making it easy for readers to engage with the complex financial concepts and data presented. One limitation of the article is that it focuses primarily on the economic impact of the slave trade and sugar production and does not provide a detailed analysis of these industries' social and cultural aspects. However, this is understandable, given the scope of the article and the focus on economic history. Fage, J. D. “African Societies and the Atlantic Slave Trade.” Past & Present , no. 125 (1989): 97–115. http://www.jstor.org/stable/650862. J.D. Fage, or John Desmond Clark Fage, was a prominent British historian and Africanist. He was a professor at the University of Birmingham and later served as the founding director of the Centre of West African Studies at the same university. Fage was instrumental in promoting the scholarly study of Africa and worked to dispel misconceptions about the continent. In this article, Fage explores the impact of the Atlantic slave trade on African societies. He argues that while the slave trade certainly had negative consequences for Africa, it was not solely responsible for the continent's underdevelopment. Fage draws on a wealth of primary sources, including accounts from European slave traders and African oral traditions, to paint a nuanced picture of the slave trade's effects. The article is well-researched and provides a comprehensive overview of the subject matter. Fage's analysis is particularly strong in its consideration of the diversity of African societies and how they were impacted differently by the slave trade. He also examines the social and economic structures that existed in Africa before the arrival of European slave traders, highlighting how these structures contributed to the continent's resilience in the face of outside pressures. 6

Bibliography Benjamin, Thomas. Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians and Their Shared History, 1400-1900. Cambridge, 2009. Crosby, Alfred. The Colombian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492. Praeger, 2003. Rothman, Alison Games, and Alan. Major Problems in Atlantic History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. Smith, Ralph A. Austen, and Woodruff. "Private Tooth Decay as Public Economic Virtue: The Slave-Sugar Triangle, Consumerism, and European Industrialization." Social Science History 14, no. 1 (1990): 95 - 115. 7

Week 3 Trade and Overseas Empires

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