Sugar Dbq free essay sample

Just as how sugar and its tropical imports were dependent on each other, the slave and sugar trades were as well. As long as sugar was in demand, so were the slaves. And as long as slaves were used, sugar would keep being produced. The only way sugar was produced was by slavery. Readers realize this statement is true when analyzing document H. The document contains a list of requirements when owning a five acre plantation. When owning a five acre plantation it is a requirement to own at least 300 slaves. Illustrations of African slaves working on sugar production are shown in Document J, which is composed of two illustrations. The first is an 1823 illustration of a plantation, where only African slaves worked. The slaves are planting and working on a field, and most of these slaves were male. The second illustration is of a mass sugar production in a nineteenth century boiling house circa 1820, again all of the slaves are African, and this time most of the slaves were women, but both the first and the second illustrations had overseers watching the slaves. We will write a custom essay sample on Sugar Dbq or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Clearly the most successful and beneficial plantations owned plenty of slaves, because more slaves equal more sugar produced, which in the end means more money. This was shown in document I, the wealthiest plantation owners owned at most 2,183 slaves in the 1830s. Additionally, because the African slaves were used regularly, they were not at as high of a price. The average price for a male West African Slave was sixteen euros in 1768, while the average price for a male British Caribbean slave was 41 euros in that same year. This shows how much African slaves were regularly used, if they weren’t used as often, they would be much higher in price like the Caribbean slaves. Everything has a consequence. The sugar trade’s success did come with a price. Because slaves became a requirement to sugar production, they didn’t have a nice lifestyle like we have today. A simple explanation of this is in document D, even though document D was written anonymously it is most likely that this author was a slave considering the biased tone, however, the document does not lie. If sugar was not consumed it would not be imported – if it were not imported it would not be cultivated, if it was not cultivated there would be an end to the slave trade; so that the consumer of sugar is really the prime mover, the grand cause of all the horrible injustice which attends the capture, of all the shocking cruelty which accompanies the treatment, of the wretched African Slave. † It becomes obvious in t his document that slavery wasn’t a happy life. Another consequence of the slave life is shown in document k. It is to the cheapness of the labour of these poor people that those costly and extensive works, which are necessary in a sugr plantation are derived. † Slaves were not paid for their labor, slaves only had an original price when sold to a master, after that slaves worked without pay. However slaves were not the only ones who lived with consequences. Document E explains the health consequences for consuming sugar. â€Å"Children greatly injure their gums and teeth by eating sugar, and sweet things, whereas (cavity filled) teeth and corroded gums are most evidently owing to improper food for children. Sugar if consumed too much, could affect the health of children and most likely adults as well. All in all, the sugar trade had consequences which included slavery and the health of the general public. In conclusion, The sugar trade was most successful due to the hi gh consumer demand and the slave trade. This is shown by the evidence of sugar’s addictive properties and its easy use as a sweetener with certain goods. However sugar does have its health and slavery issues, not allowing Africans and other slaves to live they life they deserve.