CBSE Class 9 Answered

In the 17^th century, the triangular slave trade was conducted between Europe, Africa and the Americas. Since the 17th century, French merchants travelled from the ports of Bordeaux and Nantes to Africa where they bought slaves from the local chieftains. From there, the slaves were branded, shackled and sent off to the Caribbean to be sold off to the plantation owners. Such exploitation of the slaves from Africa made it possible for the European markets to flourish with commodities like sugar, indigo and coffee. Slavery played an important role in the prosperity of the port cities such as Bordeaux and Nantes. Even during the 18^th century slavery was hardly criticised in France. It was during the reign of Jacobin regime that slavery was abolished in France.