Final answer:
The triangular trade route was an economic system connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, crucial for the mercantilist economy of Colonial America. It involved the exchange of European goods for African slaves, the transportation of slaves to the Americas, and the shipment of plantation goods back to Europe, generating significant wealth for the Europeans and colonial elites at the cost of African suffering and exploitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The triangular trade was a network of trade routes that connected three continents: Europe, Africa, and the Americas, which played a pivotal role in the economic structure of Colonial America. This trade system notably involved the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, where they were forced to labor on plantations. The three legs of the triangular trade were:
- European manufactured goods, such as cloth, spirits, and guns, being traded in Africa for slaves.
- The transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, known as the Middle Passage.
- Americas' plantation products like sugar, tobacco, and cotton being shipped back to Europe.
This trade system benefitted the European powers by providing labor for colonial plantations and fostering the growth of mercantilism. In Africa, some local leaders gained from the trade by capturing and selling fellow Africans. However, this trade had horrific human costs, including immense suffering and loss of life. In the Americas, the profits generated from selling cash crops grown by enslaved laborers were immense, contributing significantly to the wealth of colonial powers and their American colonies.