Between Rio de Janeiro and Angola: Slavery and Cassava in the Atlantic World during the 19th Century

The trade between Rio de Janeiro and Benguela showed an important fluidity since colonial times, gaining great momentum during the period between 1790 and 1830. During this period, it is possible to identify more than 70% of the enslaved who entered Brazil through the port of Rio de Janeiro. This fluidity was due to endogenous and exogenous reasons that occurred in both Atlantic regions, which complemented the interest of the merchants involved in this process. This research is based on the argument that cassava flour had a prominent economic position in the Atlantic markets, especially in the context of the trade of enslaved Africans who constituted the main workforce that sustained the Brazilian economy during the 19th century.