What were the economic motivations behind the Triangular Trade?

History The Triangular Trade Questions



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What were the economic motivations behind the Triangular Trade?

The economic motivations behind the Triangular Trade were primarily driven by the desire for profit and the exploitation of resources. European countries, such as Britain, France, and Portugal, sought to establish colonies in the Americas to extract valuable resources, such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton. These resources were then transported to Europe, where they could be sold for high profits. Additionally, the trade also involved the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, who were forced to work on plantations and generate wealth for the European colonizers. The trade routes formed a triangular pattern, with goods and enslaved people being exchanged between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, hence the name "Triangular Trade."