The Atlantic Slave Trade1

1441

First Africans seized from Guinea coast and sent to Portugal.

1444

African slaves transported to work in the Atlantic islands of Madeira, Cape Verde, etc.

1455

Papal bull Romanus Pontifex. Portugal interprets the bull as permission to conduct the trade in slaves from Africa.

1480

Establishment of Casa dos Escravos in Lisbon formalises Portuguese slave trade.

1500

First African slaves imported into Caribbean (initially as servants for Spanish settlers in Hispaniola).

1510

First slaves imported into Portuguese Brazil (from Lisbon initially).

1513

First slaves imported into Cuba from Hispaniola.

1520s

Emergence of São Tomé as major centre of Atlantic slave trade. Beginning of rapid expansion of slave trade.

1523

First sugar plantation established in Puerto Rico (3,000 slaves imported by 1530).

1529

Spanish conquest of Peru followed by demand for slaves to work the silver mines.

1537

First African slaves working in north-east of Portuguese Brazil in the sugar plantations.

1550–75

Rapid development of sugar plantations in Bahía and Pernambuco region of Brazil massively increases demands for slaves.

1562

First important English slave trading expedition led by John Hawkins.

1565

First introduction of slavery into North America when Spain transports slaves to St. Augustine (Florida).

1571

Portuguese establish colony in Luanda as a supply base for slaves.

1588

English merchants organise Guinea Company to increase their participation in slave trade.

1598

First trading posts established by Dutch on Gold Coast of West Africa. Rise of Dutch to become main suppliers of slaves to Spanish Caribbean.

1619

Introduction of first slaves into non-Spanish North America with arrival of ‘indentured servants’ in Virginia.

1625

First batch of slaves landed in Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (New York).

1626

English colony of St. Kitts receives first consignment of slaves.

1630

Dutch capture of Elmina and Luanda increases Dutch slave trading. England begins regular slave voyages from the Gold Coast area.

1634

Curaçao captured by Dutch from Spaniards. Subsequently the main Dutch slave trading base.

1640

The ‘sugar revolution’ – the introduction of sugar cane into the French Caribbean colonies of Martinique and Guadeloupe.

1642

First French participation in slave trade.

1646

Rapid rise in slave numbers in Barbados as sugar plantations boom.

1647

Participation of Swedish Africa Company in slave trade.

1648

Luanda captured by Portuguese from Dutch. It becomes major slave source for Brazil.

1663

Founding (and subsequent collapse through mismanagement) of the English ‘Company of Royal Adventurers Trading in Africa’ with monopoly of slave trade.

1664

Formation of French West Indies Company.

1670

Dutch West India Company awarded contracts by Spain to carry slaves to Spanish America.

1672

Establishment of Royal African Company with monopoly to supply slaves to English plantations in the Caribbean. Senegal Company gains monopoly from French West Indies Company to supply slaves to French colonies.

1682

German involvement begins in slave trade when Brandenburg establishes post in West Africa.

1697

First participation of Denmark in the slave trade.

1698

Removal of monopoly from Royal African Company; rapid rise of private traders.

1700

Rise of Dutch Surinam as a slave staging point. Development of sugar production in English Caribbean possessions (e.g. Antigua, Jamaica, Montserrat).

1713

Under the Treaty of Utrecht Spain cedes the monopoly of supplying slaves to Spanish America to Britain. Numbers of slaves shipped to the Americas reaches all-time highs as the century progresses (see also Asiento, p. 263).

1730

Rapid increase in sugar production in Jamaica spurs demand for more slaves.

1763

British capture of Grenada, Dominica, St. Vincent and Tobago from France stimulates sugar production and demand for slaves.