Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

triangular-trade

Noun

/traɪˈæŋɡjələr treɪd/

Definition

A historical term describing a pattern of trade in which three regions engage in the exchange of goods, often involving the exchange of slaves, raw materials, and manufactured products.

Examples

The triangular trade routes were crucial for the development of early modern economies.
Many historians study the triangular trade to understand the economic impacts of colonialism.
Goods such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton were significant in the triangular trade network.

Meaning

The triangular trade refers to a system that helped sustain economies, particularly during the 17th to 19th centuries by connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas in a triad of transactions.