1.2 The Atlantic World: Connections and Exchanges

The Atlantic World was a complex network of trade, cultural exchange, and human migration connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas. This system, driven by European colonial expansion and the triangular trade, reshaped societies on all three continents.

The Columbian Exchange and Middle Passage were key components of this interconnected world. These processes led to the transfer of plants, animals, and people across the Atlantic, profoundly impacting economies, cultures, and demographics in the regions involved.

Transatlantic Trade and Slavery

The Columbian Exchange and Triangular Trade

Top images from around the web for The Columbian Exchange and Triangular Trade

• 

  Blackhistory6b - Triangular Trade View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  New Worlds in the Americas: Labor, Commerce, and the Columbian Exchange | Survey of American ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Triangular trade - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Blackhistory6b - Triangular Trade View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  New Worlds in the Americas: Labor, Commerce, and the Columbian Exchange | Survey of American ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for The Columbian Exchange and Triangular Trade

• 

  Blackhistory6b - Triangular Trade View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  New Worlds in the Americas: Labor, Commerce, and the Columbian Exchange | Survey of American ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Triangular trade - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Blackhistory6b - Triangular Trade View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  New Worlds in the Americas: Labor, Commerce, and the Columbian Exchange | Survey of American ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Columbian Exchange involved widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, technology, and diseases between Old and New Worlds
• New World crops introduced to Europe and Africa included potatoes, tomatoes, and maize
• Old World crops and livestock brought to Americas included wheat, sugar cane, and cattle
• Triangular trade connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas in a complex network of commerce
• European manufactured goods shipped to Africa in exchange for enslaved people
• Enslaved Africans transported to Americas to work on plantations
• Raw materials from American colonies sent back to Europe

The Middle Passage and African Diaspora

• Middle Passage refers to the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean
• Brutal conditions on slave ships led to high mortality rates (estimated 15-20%)
• Enslaved people endured overcrowding, disease, malnutrition, and physical abuse during the journey
• African diaspora resulted from the forced migration of millions of Africans to the Americas
• Displaced Africans formed new communities and cultural identities in the Americas
• Diaspora communities maintained connections to African heritage while adapting to new environments

Cultural Interactions

Creolization and Cultural Syncretism

• Creolization describes the blending of different cultures to form new, distinct cultural identities
• Occurred in colonial societies where European, African, and indigenous cultures intersected
• Resulted in the development of new languages (Creole languages)
• Cultural syncretism involved the merging of different religious and cultural practices
• African religious traditions blended with Christianity in the Americas (Santería, Vodou)
• Syncretic art forms emerged, combining European and African influences (jazz music)
• Culinary traditions fused ingredients and cooking methods from multiple cultures (Creole cuisine)

Impact on Identity and Social Structures

• Cultural interactions led to the formation of new racial and ethnic categories
• Complex social hierarchies developed based on racial and cultural mixing
• Concept of "mestizaje" in Latin America recognized mixed European and indigenous ancestry
• Creole elites in colonial societies often occupied positions between European colonizers and indigenous or enslaved populations
• Cultural exchange influenced fashion, music, and social customs across the Atlantic world

European Colonial Expansion

Maritime Empires and Exploration

• European nations built vast overseas empires through maritime exploration and conquest
• Portugal and Spain led early colonial expansion in the 15th and 16th centuries
• England, France, and the Netherlands established colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries
• Advances in shipbuilding and navigation (caravel ships, improved maps) facilitated long-distance voyages
• Colonization driven by search for resources, religious motivations, and geopolitical competition

Mercantilism and Economic Policies

• Mercantilism emerged as the dominant economic theory guiding colonial policies
• Emphasized accumulation of precious metals and maintaining favorable balance of trade
• Colonies viewed as sources of raw materials and markets for manufactured goods
• Trade restrictions and monopolies imposed to benefit the mother country
• Navigation Acts regulated colonial trade in the British Empire

Port Cities and Colonial Infrastructure

• Strategic port cities developed as hubs of transatlantic trade and cultural exchange
• Major ports included Lisbon, Seville, Amsterdam, London, and Nantes in Europe
• Colonial port cities like Havana, Port-au-Prince, and Charleston facilitated trade in the Americas
• Port infrastructure included wharves, warehouses, and fortifications
• Served as points of entry for goods, people, and ideas flowing between continents
• Urban planning in colonial cities often reflected European models adapted to local conditions