Question

Read the description about the slave trade.

Europeans traded textiles, rum, firearms, and other manufactured goods in return for slaves in West Africa (1). The slaves were forcibly transported in dirty and unsafe conditions from West Africa to the Americas along the Middle Passage (2). The slaves were sold at public auctions in port cities (3). The greatest number of slaves were sold to New England buyers to work as artisans (4).

Which statements about the slave trade are true?
A. While parts (3) and (4) are true, parts (1) and (2) need revision.
B. While parts (1), (2), and (3) are true, part (4) needs revision.
C. While parts (2), (3), and (4) are true, part (1) needs revision.
D. While parts (1) and (2) are true, parts (3) and (4) need revision.

Answer 1

Statement (4) of the description requires revision, as the largest number of enslaved Africans were sent to the Southern colonies and the Caribbean for plantation work, not to New England as artisans. Thus, the correct response to which statements about the slave trade are true is Option B: parts (1), (2), and (3) are correct, while part (4) needs revision.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking which statements about the slave trade are true based on the given description. According to historical records, Europeans did indeed exchange manufactured goods such as firearms, cloth, and other items for slaves in Africa (1). The Middle Passage was the route slaves were taken on from West Africa to the Americas, and conditions during this journey were notoriously inhumane (2). Slaves were sold at public auctions in the Americas (3). However, the statement that the greatest number of slaves were sold to New England buyers to work as artisans (4) needs revision. While some slaves were sold in New England, the largest number of enslaved Africans were transported to the Southern colonies and the Caribbean to work on plantations. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B, which states that parts (1), (2), and (3) are true, while part (4) needs revision.