The triangular trade was a historical trade system that connected three regions: Europe, Africa, and the Americas. It involved the exchange of goods, where European ships transported manufactured products to Africa, such as textiles and firearms, in exchange for enslaved people. These enslaved individuals were then shipped to the Americas, where they were forced to work on plantations producing cash crops like sugar and tobacco. The final leg of the journey saw these raw materials sent back to Europe, completing the triangle and fueling economic growth in all three regions involved.