Is the name given to a system of trade that occurred during the colonial era in american history. new englanders traded extensively, exporting many commodities such as fish, whale oil, furs, and rum. however, one distinct route that formed was the triangular trade. this pattern occurred as follows: new englanders manufactured and shipped rum to the west coast of africa in exchange for slaves. the slaves were taken on the middle passage to the west indies where they were sold for molasses and money. the molasses would be sent to new england to make rum and start the entire system of trade all over again. the triangular trade was a trading triangle that went between england, west africa, and the new england colonies. the english first went to west africa to trade english goods for african slaves. then they went to the new england colonies to trade the slaves for cash crops. triangular trade was important to all three parts of the triangle. it was important to england because they got much needed cash crops from the colonies. these crops helped england because colonists had better farming tecniques than the english and they were hard workers.the triangular trade also benefited west africa. the english traded goods for slaves, which was valuble to them. the english goods were not only useful, but also had good exchange value. though what they were doing was unethical, it helped the economy.this trading lastly benefited the new england colonies. the new england colonies used slaves to get farm work and house work done more quickly. the slave trade gave the colonies more help to make cash crops, which they sold to england for more slaves, and on and on like that.