Students learn how the establishment of European colonies led to the rise of the transatlantic slave trade. They are introduced to the concept of triangular trade. They work with the Voyages: Transatlantic Slave Database to analyze data related to the slave trade.
Students read an overview describing the scale, brutality, and economic impact of the transatlantic slave trade and view an image titled “Convoy of Captive Women, probably Western Sudan.” They then respond to a word cloud prompt by completing the sentence “When I think of the word slavery, I think of…” with a brief phrase.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the experience and review the objectives, emphasizing that students will examine both causes and effects of the transatlantic slave trade and its connection to broader trade networks. Use word cloud responses to gauge students’ prior knowledge about historical slavery and, if students mention modern slavery, briefly discuss its contemporary forms before transitioning to the historical focus.
Students read background text on the long history of slavery in ancient civilizations and how the transatlantic slave trade differed by turning people into commodities. They watch the video The Atlantic slave trade: what too few textbooks told you to understand the development, scale, and consequences of the Atlantic system. Using information from the video, they complete two cause-and-effect graphic organizers about plantation labor demands, African and European participation in the trade, conditions on slave ships, and demographic and economic impacts in Africa. Finally, they post to a discussion wall explaining the long-term effects of African kings viewing captives as criminals or prisoners of war while Europeans viewed Africans as inferior beings.
Teacher MovesClarify key points from the background text and video, highlighting how the Atlantic system transformed slavery into a large-scale, profit-driven trade. Use the sample answers in the organizers to guide feedback and show how one effect can become a cause of further developments. Facilitate discussion on students’ wall responses, explicitly connecting European ideas of African inferiority to the development of persistent racism in Europe and the United States.
Students read an explanation of triangular trade and examine a map showing the three legs of the transatlantic trading system. Using the map and what they learned from the video, they post to a discussion wall describing each leg of the triangle and explaining how plantation owners in the Americas, African kings and merchants, and European traders were interdependent.
Teacher MovesUse the map to walk students through the three legs of triangular trade, emphasizing how each leg supported the others in a continuous flow of goods, enslaved people, and profits. Share strong student responses with the class and use them to reinforce how plantation cash crops, European manufactured goods, and African slave trading were interconnected.
Students read about scholarly estimates of the number of Africans transported in the slave trade and examine a map of Atlantic slave routes and volumes. They complete a drag-and-drop sentence identifying that most enslaved Africans were taken from the west coast of Africa to the Caribbean or Brazil. Students then work with the Voyages: Transatlantic Slave Database, using default and adjusted settings to answer a series of poll questions about which countries transported the most enslaved Africans, which began the trade earliest, where different countries disembarked enslaved people, regional destinations within mainland North America, and how the trade changed around the time of the American Revolution. Finally, they independently explore the database, capture a screenshot of a data view that reveals an important insight, upload it to a discussion wall, and explain why the data is significant and what it shows about the transatlantic slave trade.
Teacher MovesIf needed, model how to navigate the database, adjust row and column settings, and interpret tables, maps, and timelines. Guide students through the sequence of prompts, checking for understanding as they respond to polls about transporting countries, destinations, and changes over time. Support students who struggle with the open exploration by suggesting a focused question (such as identifying where most enslaved Africans disembarked in the United States) and, if necessary, demonstrating how to take screenshots on common devices. Share insightful student examples from the wall to deepen class discussion about patterns and impacts revealed by the data.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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