The Middle Passage - 1035 Words

The introduction of international trade throughout the continent provided the Americas with goods once thought unattainable. Different trade routes began to stem from the original triangle route. All of these routes had one goal; to transport the goods in high demand in the most time and cost efficient way. The different branches were trading systems between the America’s, Europe, and Africa. Through these routes, captains traded goods and services such as slaves, sugar, tobacco, cotton, textiles, and many other manufactured goods. One history changing route was the Middle Passage. The course of this route was used to transport kidnapped Africans so they could be enslaved in the Americas. Within a three hundred year period, it is†¦show more content†¦Slaves were forced to survive in the bowels of the ship with contaminated water and foreign, non-beneficial food. As the ship rocked, so did the â€Å"cargo† of slaves. Zamba Xembola, a prince turned captive slave, recounts his encounter as an onlooker to the slave transportation by saying, â€Å"The poor slaves below†¦were mostly thrown to the side, where they lay heaped on top of each other†¦fifteen of [the slaves] were smothered† (Document D). Made helpless because of their chains, slaves would begin to roll and pile on top of one another after large storms or waves rocked the boat. Many of these events resulted in the suffocation of those on the bottom of the piles, for they would not be relieved from their positions for many hours after the crew made their rounds, and righted all the piles. On top of this, poor ventilation compounded the problems of a slave struggling to breathe. Olaudah Equiano describes the conditions in the tween decks by commenting, â€Å"[the air was] unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells and brought on a sickness among the slaves† (Document E). Because of the close quarters in the tween decks, diseases spread quickly, oft en plaguing entire rows at one time. Both the dead and living slaves coexisted in the tween decks, with the rotting bodies of passed slaves transferring many diseases before being found, often times, several days after the originalShow MoreRelatedThe Middle Passage Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesThe Middle Passage (or Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade) was a voyage that took slaves from Africa to the Americas via tightly packed ships. The trade started around the early 1500s, and by 1654 about 8,000-10,000 slaves were being imported from Africa to the Americas every year. This number continued to grow, and by 1750 that figure had climbed to about 60,000-70,000 slaves a year. Because of the lack of necessary documents, it is hard to tell the exact number of Africans taken from their homeland. ButRead MoreMiddle Passage By Charles Johnson909 Words   |  4 Pages The book Middle Passage by Charles Johnson tells a story about the triangular slave trade which took place early in America s history. This book was written with such close attention to detail that it gave the reader a sense of what life was like on board a slave boat. Johnson s writing style included many different techniques including the use of varying structure, imagery and language. All of these devices helped create a very successful story about slavery. This book tells the story aboutRead MoreThe Middle Passage And The Transatlantic Slave Trade1594 Words   |  7 Pages Anderson Professor Gray History 1301-155 June 22, 15 The Middle Passage During history there has been plenty of slave trade in different countries. They have traded different ethnicities, and each had a different means of use for these people. What is intriguing is how they commuted these people and how this process has impacted their descendants. 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As the novel tells Rutherford Calhoun’s transformation of un-awareness allows him to cross â€Å"the sea of suffering† (209) making him forgetRead MoreThe Middle Passage - Original Writing1452 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Middle Passage† Can you imagine walking home from school, or cleaning your personal house in your own neighborhood? When suddenly, you hear knocks on the door and you and your families are kidnapped, taken, and stolen from your own given rights. You become shackled and chained and thrown down to the darkest, deepest hole of a huge ship. While you’re in this terrifying place you are crammed with no room at all. Then your notice that you’re starving for weeks almost months and there’s nothingRead MoreMiddle Passage: A Review Essay487 Words   |  2 PagesReading Portfolio Middle Passage is a novel filled with different techniques such as allusions, foreshadowing, humor, character transitions, and many other techniques. Charles Johnson, the author of this amazing novel wanted the readers to acknowledge the past and present events. He connects the past and the present with many different examples. One example is when the police hit Santos for no reason. This comparison is made very clear and simple enough for the readers to understand that policeRead MoreEssay on Olaudah Equiano1220 Words   |  5 PagesThe Horrid Journey If it were not for the stories past down from generation to generation or the documentations in historical books, the history of the twelve million African slaves that traveled the â€Å"Middle Passage† in miserable conditions would not exist. Olaudah Equiano contributes to this horrid history with The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Through this narrative, the appalling personal experience of each slave is depicted. He accomplishes his rhetorical purpose ofRead MoreThe Difficult and Devastating Lives of African People725 Words   |  3 Pagespark. Waking up every day, living in tribes, and doing daily duties were the most common day for Africans. Until, the middle passage emerged, also known as the Slave Trade. Africans were taken through a devastating ride through history in the making. Africans were kidnapped out of nowhere by the â€Å"white men†. The British, the Europeans, the Caucasian all took part of this â€Å"middle passage era†. Africans were taken two by two, and singled file up the docks of the slave ships. Frozen in shock could