Empire 54. Royal African Company: Slavery Inc
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Jun 6, 2023 Discover the Royal African Company's pivotal role in the brutal transatlantic slave trade and its impact on Britain's economic expansion. Explore the complexities of labor sourcing in colonial West Africa, and examine the troubling ties between wealth, nobility, and slavery. Unravel the saga of sugar as a driving force behind European colonial ambitions, while also reflecting on the lasting legacy of slavery in contemporary society. Delve into naval advancements that fueled colonial pursuits and marked a dark chapter in history.
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Chattel Slavery's Uniqueness
- Chattel slavery distinguished itself from other forms by being perpetual, affecting offspring.
- The industrial scale and invisibility within Britain contributed to the silence surrounding it for centuries.
Early Plantation Slavery
- Plantation slavery predates British involvement, originating in the late 15th century with the Portuguese.
- The Spanish were the first to bring enslaved Africans to the Caribbean in the early 16th century.
Hawkins and the Slave Trade
- Sir John Hawkins led the first English slave trading expedition in 1562, profiting from selling enslaved people to the Spanish in the Caribbean.
- His coat of arms included an enslaved man, symbolizing the source of his wealth and nobility.
