Connection #1 talks about how Mercantilism and Trans-Atlantic Trade are connected, with the Middle Passage being a key part of this link. Mercantilism was an economic idea where countries aimed to grow their colonies and trade, trying to make more money by selling more than they bought. This led to the Trans-Atlantic Trade, which involved exchanging goods, materials, and enslaved people between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The Middle Passage was the terrible journey that enslaved Africans went through when they were taken to the Americas. This journey was a vital part of the Triangular Trade because there was a big need for workers to grow crops like sugar and tobacco in the colonies. The awful conditions of the Middle Passage highlight the suffering of enslaved people, who endured horrible treatment just for the profits of others.