What was the voyage like
16
The Voyage
Transcript of What was the voyage like
The Voyage
What was the Voyage Like?
Slave ships followed a triangular pattern known as the “Middle Passage”.
This triangular pattern consisted of three different “legs”.
The length of this journey varied from 1 to 5 months.
The Middle Passage- The First Leg
On the first leg of their voyage,vessels left their European home port laden with widely assorted cargo of manufactured goods.
• What was the cargo for? • The slave traders brought the cargo to be
bartered for slaves and other African produce on the ship’s arrival on the African coast.
The Second Leg of the Voyage
The manufactured cargo was unloaded. The human cargo was then loaded into the
ship. The slaves were then transported across
the Atlantic to the Caribbean islands or North American colonies, on what became known as the notorious 'Middle Passage'.
Slave Ship
The Third Leg of the Voyage
On arrival to their destination, the slaves were auctioned like cattle.
As payment the slaver captains generally took on board produce.
cotton, sugar, coffee or tea Then they would start the final stage
of their voyage home.
What was it Like on the Ships?
The ships used were designed for the transport of goods rather than people since two of the legs of the triangular trade involved cargo.
Due to this design, the conditions aboard ships running the Middle Passage with human cargo were very poor.
There were no sanitation facilities.
Why? Because they were not designed for the transport of people.
On the Ships
The male captives were normally chained together in pairs to save space — right leg to the next man's left leg — while the women and children may have had somewhat more room.
What did they eat?
The captives were fed very small portions of corn, yams, rice, and palm oil, normally just enough to sustain them. Sometimes captives were allowed to move around during the day; however, the shackles remained on the majority of the journey.
Diseases and Starvation
About 3 million Africans died during the journey.
Why did they die? Many slaves died due to disease and
starvation. The longer the length of the passage…
the more people died.
What Diseases did they die From?
amoebic dysentery scurvy smallpox measles
Did They Ever Fight Back?
Yes ! African slaves are
known to have engaged in at least 250 shipboard rebellions during the period of the transatlantic crossings.
What Happened if They Fought Back?
Slave ships carried extra crew members for the purpose of containing slaves during the Middle Passage.
The crew members were armed whenever slaves were on deck, and ready to subdue resistance by any means necessary.
Nevertheless, mutinies occurred regularly, usually resulting in the severe punishment of the African slaves.
www.cultures.com/features/amistad/amistad_02.html
Emancipation Timeline 1761, February 12, Portugal abolishes slavery[2] in mainland Portugal and in Portuguese possessions in India 1772 Slavery declared illegal in England, including overseas slaves living in England. 1787 Sierra Leone founded by British as state for emancipated slaves 1791 Haiti gains independence and emancipation 1804 Haiti abolishes slavery 1808 United States -- importation of slaves into the US prohibited after Jan. 1. 1811 Spain abolishes slavery at home and in all colonies except Cuba,[2] Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo 1813 Argentina abolishes slavery 1821 Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela abolish slavery 1823 Chile abolishes slavery 1829 Mexico abolishes slavery 1831 Bolivia abolishes slavery 1834 Jamaica abolishes slavery 1836 Portugal abolishes transatlantic slave trade 1842 Uruguay abolishes slavery 1854 Peru abolishes slavery 1854 Venezuela abolishes slavery 1862 Cuba abolishes slave trade 1863 United States: Emancipation Proclamation declares those slaves in Confederate-controlled areas to be freed. 1865 United States abolishes slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. 1869 Portugal abolishes slavery in the African colonies 1871 Brazil declares free the sons and daughters born to slave mothers after 28 September 1871. 1873 Puerto Rico abolishes slavery 1886 Cuba abolishes slavery 1888 Brazil abolishes slavery 1962 Saudi Arabia abolishes slavery 1963 United Arab Emirates abolishes slavery 1969 Peru abolishes the encomiendas regime through a land reform[1] ending slavery in the country 1981 Mauritania abolishes slavery (Mauritania has repeatedly abolished slavery. It is the last country to still have chattel
slavery.)[ Slavery continues today with illegal human trafficking
