Why was the slave trade often called the triangular trade?

The slave trade was often called the triangular trade because it involved a three-leg journey between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. European ships would sail to Africa to trade goods for enslaved people, then transport those individuals to the Americas, where they were sold for labor. The ships would then return to Europe with commodities such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton produced by enslaved labor. This triangular route facilitated the exchange of goods and human lives, deeply intertwining the economies of these regions.