History The Triangular Trade Questions
The Triangular Trade contributed to the growth of the transatlantic slave trade by establishing a profitable system of trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. European merchants would sail to Africa, where they would exchange goods such as guns, textiles, and alcohol for enslaved Africans. These enslaved Africans were then transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, where they were sold as laborers on plantations. The profits from the sale of enslaved Africans were used to purchase raw materials, such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton, which were then transported back to Europe. This cycle of trade created a high demand for enslaved Africans and led to the expansion and intensification of the transatlantic slave trade.