Slavery and the History

Slavery and the History

The Middle Passage was the most infamous route of the triangular trade. This voyage carried Africans across the Atlantic Ocean. Captains of slave ships were known as either "loose packers" or "tight packers," depending on how many slaves they crammed into the space they had. However, most ships were "tight packers" (especially those in the 18th century); life for the slaves on these ships was extremely uncomfortable. Slaves were taken from the holding forts, shackled together impairs with leg-irons and carried to the ships in the dugout canoes. Once they were aboard, they were branded with red-hot iron, like cattle, to show who owned them and their clothes removed.

Slaves were housed in the ships as if they were cargo. Men were kept in chains while women and children were allowed to go free, they laid on specially built shelves with about 0.5 meters of vertical space. As long as the slaves were in the hold, they had to remain lying on their backs. There were times when the captain of some ships would allow the slaves to be brought up out their dungeon area. However, the men's legs were linked to a chain running down the center of the ship's deck to prevent them from jumping overboard. While on deck a good captain would have the slaves washed down with warm vinegar and scrubbed and some did not bother in rough weather (would not allow the slaves out at all).

These conditions allowed for sickness and disease flourish and the slaves. The heat in the hold could be over 30 degrees and the slave would have no toilet or washing facilities, causing many to die. They were forced in these conditions for 6 weeks to 3 months depending on the length of the voyage. Other causes of death among the slaves were the choice of committing suicide by jumping overboard choosing to die by drowning or shark attack rather than endure what was faced on board. There was also inadequate ventilation causing suffocation and at time there, revolt on the ships, which the captains used, advanced weapons such as pistols and rifles to slaughter numerous of slaves. Nevertheless, the average loss was 1/8 of all slaves it can be estimated that a further 1.5 million Africans were buried in the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and the Americas.

However, it is important to understand why this cruelty occurred. Slavery began in 1440 when Portugal started to trade slaves with West Africa. By the 16th century, Western Europeans developed and organized system of trading slaves. However, the slave trade did not run as smoothly as expected. Slaves began to revolt and tried to flee from hardship and labor. Regardless of their attempts, slavery expanded, leading the "Triangle Trade," between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. This organized system lasted until 1800's, shortly after the War of Independence that was intended to abolish slavery. The law was stalled when the U.S. allowed the slavery to continue until 1800. A federal law, which was passed in 1793, allowed for the Fugitive Slave Act, which continued the slave trade and prohibited the freedom of Africans.

Before the passage began, slavery had already existed in Africa, but it was much different from the one that Europe would create. In Europe, slaves were dehumanized and viewed as property but in Africa humans were still humans. A reason why Africans were enslaved in their own country traced back to their status. If a person had committed a crime, were prisoners of war, or had debt that was unpaid then they were enslaved. Europe and Africa began their ill-fated relationship; the influx of European goods (particularly firearms) slowly disrupted the West African culture. To Europe improved technology brought power and wealth, but to Africa it brought only more efficient means to capture slaves for market. The religious and political power structure of West African states was peculiarly susceptible to corrosive effects of the slave trade. Believing in divine kingship and divided by intense religious loyalties, the forest people of Guinea looked upon one another as contemptible heretics who deserved death or slavery. In addition, since the tribes that captured the most slaves received the most European goods it became a competition in the interior between the Ashanti and Dahomeans, to raise in power as specialist in the art of slavery. The kingdoms eventually pushed toward the sea, extending the zone the terror as their power increased. However, the triumph of the Dahomey had destroyed the orderly fashion of the slave trade. The African that may have been selling slaves on day may be a slave themselves the next. However, the Europeans did not care who was who and how it came about all they wanted was profit, the merchants did not scruple at kidnapping or inciting raids on peaceful villages. The difference is that the European