January 17, 2018
(1450-1750)
Photo Analysis:
This chapter began with a picture of four men (see below). I thought that before reading, it was important to really look into the picture for a real meaning. The two men pictured on the left are obviously African slaves, I can tell because of what they are wearing, their skin color, their hair texture, and of course the chains on their ankles. The white man in the picture seems to be a European looking to make a deal. The African man on the far right side has to be of higher status then the two other Africans in the picture because he is walking freely and with a white European. He seems to be well dressed compared to the slaves and is also holding a spear type weapon that, to me, represents some sort of power. The fearful look on the African slaves face tells us that they are waiting to hear if they will be traded over to the European man. As we all know, slaves were treated as property or objects and this picture represents a negotiation of trading them. I know that during this time, slaves were imported from Africa to other places to be owned. This was the start of an economic transformation…
In the early modern world the Atlantic slave trade was a big part of the beginning of commerce. Slavery increased the amount of interactions between countries because they would physically go across the ocean to trade slaves. Aside from the slave trade, countries began trading many other things such as spices, fur, and silver, etc. Many other countries besides Europe were participating in exchanging goods overseas. Early modern commerce in products as well as people helped economies grow and exchanging products caused for more variety in what people were able to access. Long distance trade was the beginning of the modern era. I think that slavery is a horrible thing and I wish that it never happened, however, I do believe that this economic transformation really increased interactions between countries and gave more variety of goods for everyone.
Attached below is the timeline of events on page 603 of our textbook:
Early Modern Commerce In Products:
As time went on, commerce became more common among most countries. In the chapter before this we read about the Russian empire expanding and taking over Siberia. One of their motives to take over Siberia, specifically was their large amount of fur animals. They saw this as an opportunity to use these animals fur/skin and trade it with other countries who did not have access to this product. Many other countries were in colder climates and needed this type of commerce to live their everyday life more comfortably. There was a demand for this type of product and Russia was very smart for picking up on that. The fur trade did come with some negative’s like the animals spreading diseases around to people and many animals being killed. Like the spice trade, the fur trade was in much demand and this helped increase global commerce. I think that trade among countries around the world is very important because it helps build a relationship and if one country ever needs something they can just help each other out. Relationships between countries should be focused on more often even today.
Here is a picture of the Russians with their fur and animals in their hands ready to make a trade:
Early Modern Commerce In People:
The Atlantic slave trade was a huge part of the economic transformation, but it did harm humans and destroy African societies. These slaves were imported all around the world and they were no longer surrounded by their ethnic group and they lost all sense of their African culture. While some societies became more powerful from this movement, others became ruined. As slaves moved all around the world, racism and stereotypes were present and worse than ever before. Some slaves were able to live in their owners household and some began creating a mixed offspring. This was never before seen but now was, in the Atlantic slave trade. In the premodern world, slavery was mostly plantation work but, in the now modern world, slaves were considered apart of the household. Because of this transformation, slaves lost all sense of identity and the process of gentrification was present. The Europeans needed slaves for labor, and their desperate need was the cause of the commerce in people in the start of the modern era. The Atlantic slave trade had a huge impact on life after and still does today. This whole economic transformation changed African as well as American societies. I think that the only people that benefitted here were the Europeans because after all of this it did not improve Africa’s society at all, but instead ruined it completely.
Here is a map from page 621 of our textbook that shows the Atlantic slave trade:
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