Slavery & the Middle Passage

Today’s Objectives

Describe the Triangle Trade and what was traded.

Explain what is meant by the “middle passage.”

Describe the evolution of the African Slave Trade and its consequences.

The Triangle Trade

Trade route with three legs.

Leg 1

Guns, cloth, iron, and beer are taken to Africa.

Leg 2 – The Middle PassageAfricans’ voyage across the Atlantic to the New World to be used as slaves in the plantation system.

Leg 3

Sugar is taken to Europe to be made into rum.

Other raw materials, lumber, whale oil, etc – are taken to be used in Europe.

Triangular Trade linked: Europe Africa Americas

The “Middle Passage”

“I’m in the belly of the beast, the bottom of the boat,And home is a place I'll never get to go.”

Coffin Position Below Deck

Good WeatherGood Weather• Allowed to roam on deckAllowed to roam on deck• Fed two small meals:Fed two small meals:1. Boiled rice, millet, or Boiled rice, millet, or

cornmeal and a daily cornmeal and a daily ration of a half-pint of ration of a half-pint of water in a “pannikin”water in a “pannikin”

2. Horse beans, the Horse beans, the cheapest food availablecheapest food available

ExerciseExercise• Had to be in acceptable physical Had to be in acceptable physical

condition to maximize profitcondition to maximize profit• ““Dancing”: Men were forced to Dancing”: Men were forced to

jump up and down to the beat of jump up and down to the beat of a drum until their ankles bled a drum until their ankles bled from their chainsfrom their chains

• Crew members whipped slaves Crew members whipped slaves who refused to dancewho refused to dance

Bad WeatherBad Weather• The worst time of the Middle The worst time of the Middle

PassagePassage• Slaves remained below deck all Slaves remained below deck all

day and nightday and night• These “tween decks” were filled These “tween decks” were filled

with slaves (live and dead), with slaves (live and dead), blood, vomit, urine, and human blood, vomit, urine, and human wastewaste

• Slaves not fed as usual- forced Slaves not fed as usual- forced to scrounge for crumbsto scrounge for crumbs

““Bedwarming”Bedwarming”• Crew member or captain took Crew member or captain took

slave women from the tween slave women from the tween decks at nightdecks at night

• Physically and sexually abusedPhysically and sexually abused• This practice demonstrated This practice demonstrated

the figurative and literal rape the figurative and literal rape of the African-American of the African-American culture by the slave traders of culture by the slave traders of the Middle Passagethe Middle Passage

•Made weapons of chains and shackles to attempt to kill crew

•Uprisings usually put down quickly by crew Most Africans who attempted to revolt were killed in the process

•Africans harmed themselves to threaten cargo (suicide, starvation) Crew force fed slaves

• One of the few One of the few successful slave successful slave mutiniesmutinies

• A group of A group of Africans led by Africans led by Congolese chief Congolese chief Cinque killed Cinque killed captain and captain and most of crew on most of crew on the Amistadthe Amistad

• Long legal Long legal battle battle Supreme Court Supreme Court ruled the ruled the Africans to be Africans to be freefree

• Extreme overcrowding, Extreme overcrowding, deplorable conditions caused deplorable conditions caused many to diemany to die

• Dysentery, smallpox, Dysentery, smallpox, ophthalmia, malaria, yellow ophthalmia, malaria, yellow fever, scurvyfever, scurvy

• Gone mad Gone mad flogged or clubbed flogged or clubbed to death and thrown overboardto death and thrown overboard

• Sick Sick starved starved• Contagious Contagious thrown thrown

overboard so as not to infect overboard so as not to infect othersothers

• Suicide, death from revoltingSuicide, death from revolting

The Evolution of African Slavery

Some Native Americans died from fighting the Europeans but the majority died of disease.

African slaves were better at fighting off diseases. Old world Immunities that built up over time

As colonies expanded, the demand for slaves grew. “Cash Crops” (sugar and rice) = need for lots of labor Fewer indentured servants were coming from England

Slavery in the Americas

African slaves were auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Slaves worked in mines or fields or as servants.

Lifetime of bondage that was carried on for generations.

Slaves kept African traditions alive – music & stories

Resistance and rebellion

Consequences in Africa

African cultures lost their fittest, best people.

African families were separated. Introduction of guns.

Consequences in the Americas

Led to growth of the colonies Economic Cultural

Led to economic and social divisions Civil War

Intermarriage and mixed race populations

Amistad (skip 6:02 to 7:02)

As you watch the clip, look for examples of Triangle Trade Impact on African societies Conditions aboard the ships in the Middle

Passage Evidence of slaves’ rebellion Interests of the slave traders Interests of the buyers – where was this ship

headed?