<P> The best - known triangular trading system is the transatlantic slave trade, that operated from the late 16th to early 19th centuries, carrying slaves, cash crops, and manufactured goods between West Africa, Caribbean or American colonies and the European colonial powers, with the northern colonies of British North America, especially New England, sometimes taking over the role of Europe . The use of African slaves was fundamental to growing colonial cash crops, which were exported to Europe . European goods, in turn, were used to purchase African slaves, who were then brought on the sea lane west from Africa to the Americas, the so - called Middle Passage . Despite being driven primarily by economic needs, Europeans sometimes had a religious justification for their actions . In 1452, for instance, Pope Nicholas V, in the Dum Diversas, granted to the kings of Spain and Portugal "full and free permission to invade, search out, capture, and subjugate the Saracens (Muslims) and pagans and any other unbelievers...and to reduce their persons into perpetual slavery ." </P> <P> A classic example is the colonial molasses trade . Sugar (often in its liquid form, molasses) from the Caribbean was traded to Europe or New England, where it was distilled into rum . The profits from the sale of sugar were used to purchase manufactured goods, which were then shipped to West Africa, where they were bartered for slaves . The slaves were then brought back to the Caribbean to be sold to sugar planters . The profits from the sale of the slaves were then used to buy more sugar, which was shipped to Europe, restarting the cycle . The trip itself took five to twelve weeks . </P> <P> The first leg of the triangle was from a European port to Africa, in which ships carried supplies for sale and trade, such as copper, cloth, trinkets, slave beads, guns and ammunition . When the ship arrived, its cargo would be sold or bartered for slaves . On the second leg, ships made the journey of the Middle Passage from Africa to the New World . Many slaves died of disease in the crowded holds of the slave ships . Once the ship reached the New World, enslaved survivors were sold in the Caribbean or the American colonies . The ships were then prepared to get them thoroughly cleaned, drained, and loaded with export goods for a return voyage, the third leg, to their home port, from the West Indies the main export cargoes were sugar, rum, and molasses; from Virginia, tobacco and hemp . The ship then returned to Europe to complete the triangle . </P> <P> However, because of several disadvantages that slave ships faced compared to other trade ships, they often returned to their home port carrying whatever goods were readily available in the Americas and filled up a large part or all of their capacity with ballast . Other disadvantages include the different form of the ships (to carry as many humans as possible, but not ideal to carry a maximum amount of produce) and the variations in the duration of a slave voyage, making it practically impossible to pre-schedule appointments in the Americas, which meant that slave ships often arrived in the Americas out - of - season . When the ships did reach their intended ports, only about 90% of the passengers survived the journey across the middle passage . Due to the slaves being transported in tight, confined spaces, a small percentage of the group that started perished at the hands of disease and lack of nourishment . Cash crops were transported mainly by a separate fleet which only sailed from Europe to the Americas and back mitigating the impact the slaves involvement brought forth . The Triangular trade is a trade model, not an exact description of the ship's route . </P>

What did europe trade in the triangular trade