What trade system involved the exchange of goods and enslaved people between Europe, Africa, and the Americas?

The Triangular Trade system is a significant historical pattern of trade that operated from the late 16th to the early 19th centuries, involving three main regions: Europe, Africa, and the Americas. This trade network was characterized by a triangular route where ships departed from European ports carrying manufactured goods, which were traded in Africa for enslaved people. Those enslaved individuals were then transported across the Atlantic, often under horrific conditions, to the Americas, where they were forced into labor on plantations. The final leg of the journey involved ships returning to Europe carrying raw materials and products from the Americas, such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton.

This system not only facilitated economic exchange between these regions but also had profound social, cultural, and demographic repercussions, particularly due to the human suffering associated with the transatlantic slave trade. The scale of this trade and its impact significantly shaped the economies, societies, and histories of the involved continents, making the Triangular Trade a critical component of understanding early modern history.

The other options describe different economic systems or trade routes. Mercantilism refers to an economic theory focused on maximizing exports and minimizing imports to increase national wealth, while the Silk Road was an ancient trade route connecting East Asia to the Mediterranean primarily for