Final answer:
The Middle Passage was the notorious second leg of the triangular trade where enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas under harsh conditions. The third leg shipped materials like sugar, cotton, and rice from the Americas to Europe. The Atlantic Slave Trade was crucial to the colonial, European, and African economies, perpetuating a cycle of trade and impacting societies deeply.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why is the Second Leg of the Journey Known as the Middle Passage?. The second leg of the journey is known as the Middle Passage because it was the middle or second leg of the triangular trade. This leg involved the shipping of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, and it was notorious for its brutal conditions, where captives were kept in deplorable conditions, leading to a high mortality rate. Raw Materials Transported from the Americas to Europe. In the third leg of the triangle, raw materials produced by slave labor were transported from the Americas to Europe. Three such materials were sugar, cotton, and rice. Entrenchment of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Economic Systems. The Atlantic Slave trade was deeply entrenched in the economic systems of the colonies, Europe, and Africa for several reasons. The trade formed a critical component of the triangular trade, with European economies relying on the labor of enslaved Africans to produce raw materials, which were then transformed into valuable goods in Europe. Moreover, the profits from selling enslaved people funded the purchase of raw goods from the Americas, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. Furthermore, the loss of population and the introduction of European goods had substantial impacts on African societies.