Answer:
The Middle Passage, which refers to the transatlantic journey of enslaved Africans, contributed to mercantilism in several ways:1. Supply of Labor: The Middle,2. Production of Raw Materials,3. Trade and Profit and 4. Economic Control.
Step-by-step explanation:
1. Supply of Labor: The Middle :Passage provided a constant supply of enslaved Africans to work on plantations and in other industries in the Americas. This cheap and abundant labor was essential for the production of goods and resources that fueled mercantilist economies.
2. Production of Raw Materials: Enslaved Africans were forced to work on plantations, cultivating cash crops such as sugar, tobacco, cotton, and coffee. These crops were in high demand in Europe and served as valuable raw materials for the manufacturing industries that supported mercantilism.
3. Trade and Profit: The Middle Passage facilitated the triangular trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. European merchants would trade goods such as guns, textiles, and rum for enslaved Africans in Africa, transport them across the Atlantic to the Americas, and then trade them for valuable goods like sugar and tobacco. This trade generated significant profits for European merchants and contributed to the accumulation of wealth in mercantilist economies.
4. Economic Control: The forced migration of enslaved Africans through the Middle Passage allowed European colonial powers to establish economic control over the regions they colonized. By exploiting the labor and resources of these regions, European countries could strengthen their own economies and maintain a dominant position in the global trade networks of mercantilism.
Overall, the Middle Passage played a crucial role in sustaining and supporting the mercantilist system by providing a steady supply of enslaved labor, generating valuable raw materials, facilitating profitable trade, and consolidating economic control for European powers.