How did triangular trade affect colonial economies?

Hint: Slavery has existed since ancient times in Africa. In the time used extensively by the Spanish and the Portuguese in the Americas, enslaved Africans were part of the international trade network.

Complete answer: The Triangular Trade Sense and Definition: The 'Triangular Trade' was so-called because it was three-sided, including trips from England to Africa, the Americas to Africa and the Americas. The demand for both land and slave labour was increased by triangular trade. The triangular trading routes were fundamental to England's practice of mercantilism, in which colonies had one main purpose: to enrich the parent nation (England). Trade's idea was that the various regions would trade goods they had in abundance in return for the goods they wanted but lacked in their region. With the Slave Trade, the English became involved and the Triangular Trade pattern across the Atlantic was established. The founder of the British slave trade is often considered to be Sir John Hawkins, since he was the first to operate the Triangular trade route across the Atlantic, making a profit at every stop. Lots of natural resources were provided by the English colonists, such as tobacco, timber, sugar, etc. They purchased a lot of slave labour. The European countries purchased North America's natural resources to generate products (guns, clothes, furniture, etc). Most of the processed goods were supplied by them. In exchange for European goods, West African leaders would trade inland slaves with merchants. A trader might begin picking up lumber, tobacco, and other natural resources in North America and exporting them to Europe while collecting manufactured goods. They will then sail down to Africa and exchange the goods for slaves. Finally, to exchange the slaves for more natural resources, they must return to North America. This became the most lucrative pattern for traders because currents and trade winds made this route swift and effective. To grow colonial cash crops that were exported to Europe, the use of African slaves was fundamental. In exchange, European goods were used to buy African slaves, who were then taken to the Americas on the sea lane west from Africa.

Note: The triangular trade had three stages, firstly trade of goods took place, second phase transportation of people to America as slaves and thirdly when colonies of British took over the role of Europe.