The Triangular Trade by Simon Philénas from Sainte-Marie

In the 18^th century, the Triangular Trade was part of the slave trade between three continents: Europe, Africa and America (particularly the West Indies).

Ships which transported slaves left from big ports like Amsterdam, Lisbon, and Nantes (1427 expeditions between 1715 & 1789). Nantes, in France, was the 1^st slavery port in the world during the 18^th century. 

Europeans (mostly Spanish, French and English) loaded glass trinkets, fabrics, weapons or manufactured goods in the ships. In Africa, most of the time in Senegal or in the Island of Goree, they exchanged their cheap cargo for slaves.

The ships then continued and the slaves were shipped to, for example, the West Indies, where they were swapped for production crops such as sugar, vanilla, tobacco, coffee or various other tropical products. About 5000 slaves per year were deported to the Americas. The journey was horrible for the Blacks, and almost 15% died during the trip.

The Triangular Trade allowed  the most magnificent buildings in the French ports to be built, and was a huge source of money for European countries. It was also a major factor in the disappearance of the ancient African societies and a cause of today's underdevelopment of the African continent...