Atlantic Slave Trade Middle Passage

The Atlantic Slave Trade was a complex system that delivered numerous horrifying experiences to millions of West Africans over a span of four hundred years. Although this trade was essentially a routine, for every similar component of the trade each group of Africans had their own unique experience. An example of a typical component with varying experiences is the middle passage and conditions upon slave ships during this journey. The middle passage is the voyage from West Africa to the new world and slave ships were a pivotal part of this voyage in its entirety. The survival rate of Africans was often indicative of conditions aboard. These conditions could be affected in part by the captain of the ship. Some captains are slightly concerned …show more content…
Malnutrition led to a large amount of deaths on the middle passage. When the number of slave out numbers the food supply then some slaves go without food. Food was often reserved for young adult males those being men aged 18-26. These were considered slaves of the most value. Slaves vying for food would take scraps off of the faces of a nearby slave or even try to grab the small amount of food out of the hands of another slave (Amistad.) In contrast, owners that had more of a concern with well being of the slaves would tend to be more generous with the food supply. In some cases slaves even received meals twice a day instead of once a day (Barbot Jr.) Not only did the packing lead to nutritional problems but also problems pertaining to muscle atrophy. When a person is packed in so tightly that little to no range of motion is available their muscles start to weaken. In order to prevent this problem some crews would allow time for their slaves up on the deck with the ability to move around. In a narrative written by James Barbot Jr. ideals of a more lenient crew are present. “Toward the evening they diverted themselves on the deck, as they thought fit, some conversing together, others dancing, singing, and sporting after their manner.” Some slaves depending on conditions at sea would not be let out for months, which caused fatal issues …show more content…
Punishments for such acts varied from a beating to death. Once on board, although insured, captains preferred not to kill slaves being as they have paid for them. Death was often used as an example and as a deterrent in hopes of preventing any future uprisings. During the revolt in Roots death is seen as the primary solution due to the nature of the situation and Slater’s lack of care for the Africans. James Barbot Jr was on a ship that implemented punishment in a way that lacked violence. In response to the revolt on his ship the crew took away certain liberties that were once granted to the slaves such as leisure time on deck and extra meals. In both cases another revolt was not reported, but one incident resulted in the loss of a multitude of slaves whereas the other received results while limiting the deaths on