Review General Background
Elementary School Activity
Middle School and High School Activity

General Background
Although direct trade routes from one region to another were frequent in colonial commerce, the triangular trade route was characteristic of the Atlantic slave trade.

There were two main patterns of triangular trade. The first was a voyage from England to Africa, then from Africa to the West Indies, and then from the West Indies back to England. For example, a slave ship would leave Liverpool, England with a cargo of manufactured goods and then proceed to West Africa where these items were exchanged for slaves. The slaves were then transported to and sold in the West Indies, and the profits were used to purchase a cargo of sugar (or other produce) which was shipped back to Liverpool.

The second pattern of triangular trade originated in New England. Slave ships sailed to West Africa with a cargo of rum, and they exchanged the rum for slaves. Then they sailed to the slave markets of the West Indies where the slaves were sold. The profits of the sale were used to purchase cargoes of molasses, which were brought back to New England and distilled into rum.

Although the local ports-of-call often varied, a ship’s revolving cargo of slaves, rum, sugar, molasses, tobacco, and other crops were consistent and played vital roles in the trade.

Elementary School – Triangle Trade Mapping

Introduction
This activity assumes that students have been provided with the essential knowledge found in the General Background section of this lesson.

• map the triangular trade routes.
• show what goods and services were transported along each route.

Vocabulary

• triangle trade
• West Indies
• route
• port

Preparation

1. Turn the center of the classroom into the Atlantic Ocean. The coastlines of Africa, North America, England and the West Indies should be carefully placed on the floor either by the teacher or by students, using chalk or masking tape. Shipping routes should also be included in this floor map.
2. Assign students a particular role in the mapping project: either ship captain or manufacturer/trader. Students should have objects representing the various materials that were traded along the triangular trade routes.
3. An overhead or wall map should be displayed to illustrate the coastlines of the Atlantic Ocean and the various stops along the trade routes. (USA: Boston, New York, Baltimore, Charleston; England: Liverpool; Africa: Sierra Leone, Guinea, South Barbay, Angola; Caribbean: Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica, Martinique, Barbados; South America: The Guianas, Brazil).

Activity

1. Have students place themselves on the floor map according to their roles in the simulation.
2. As a captain takes the goods from one port, the manufacturer tells the captain what he/she is providing and from where it is being provided. The captain then announces where the goods are going. When the captain gets to the next port he/she announces what is being provided and where it came from. The new manufacturer/trader announces what he/she is providing and from where it is being provided.
3. Once the triangular trade route has been run several times, the class should discuss what major ports were used and how each of the goods benefited the area they were going to. Address any issues or questions students may have related to the slave trade and these trading patterns.

Middle School and High School – Acting Out!

Introduction
The documents and accounts that accompany this unit reflect personal involvement with the triangle trade. These can be used by students to deepen their awareness of the triangle trade and personalize issues through a round-table discussion.

Objectives

• map triangular trade routes and describe what goods were transported along each route.
• articulate who benefited and who suffered as a result of the triangular trade.

Primary Source Readings

• "A Description of New Guinea," John Barbot, 1732 (view file)
• "A Letter from Thomas Hancock," 1743 (view file)
• "A Slave Trade Journal," Dr. Alexander Falconbridge, 1788 (view file)
• "A Slave’s Accounting," 1793 (view file)
• "An Act for Extending and Improving the Trade to Africa," 1750 (view file)
• Letter from Wilkinson and D'Ayrault to Captain David Lindsay," 1754 (view file)
• "On Board a Slave Ship," Richard Drake, 1788 (view file)
• "Traders by Day; Robbers by Night," Thomas Clarkson (view file)

Preparation

1. This activity assumes that students have been provided with the essential knowledge found in the General Background section of this lesson. Students will also be drawing on their prior knowledge of the three colony groups and what each produced by way of raw and manufactured materials.
2. Students should be given a primary source document that represents a personal story related to the triangle trade. Students will need to do further research on their person or on the particular role they played in the trade in order to gain a deeper appreciation of the issues involved. Students may share their roles.
3. Students can dress in character for this round-table discussion. This will require additional preparation. At the very least, name cards should be displayed along with the particular role they are playing (ship captain, slave, etc.).

Roundtable Discussion on the Triangle Trade

1. Arrange the room in such a way that everyone can see and be seen.
2. Students should display their name cards in front of them and introduce themselves in character.
3. Once the characters have been introduced, they should discuss the following questions, in character:

• What was your role in the triangle trade?
• How did you feel about your role?
• Who do you think benefited from the trade, if anyone?
• Did anyone suffer because of it? Who and why?

Characters should be encouraged to talk to one another and ask questions.

Extension Activity
Make a poster representing the triangle trade, its major ports and the goods transported along the trade routes.