David Eltis The Slave Trade Summary

In this article, David Eltis discusses how Africa was affected by the Slave Trade. The Slave Trade did indeed change Africa and the people within. However, it also changed the surrounding countries. More so the Americas due to the need for slaves. I will discuss the information I found new, interesting, what I agree with, as well as the factors of the middle passage. Eltis begins his article with factors regarding the Atlantic World in itself. Leading in the discussion of how Africa factored into the mixture of the Americas, and Europe. He mentions, about half of the early migrants that crossed the Atlantic to the Americas were captives from Africa. He then goes on to mention how Africa develops throughout this process. It is in particular, that the rulers, as well as merchants are the ones negotiation and enforcing the collection of “slaves” from the interior of Africa. Also, raids along the Congo River, inland towards the southern part of the region became regular occurrences “it was the fate of Africans living inland.” He depicts a part of history I never fully realized happened. Of course I knew slavery seemed to of originated from Africa, he expanded how it was the African leaders and such providing the slave for a profit. As the essay continues, it is apparent …show more content…
As journals show, we know much more about the slave trade, as in the selling of slaves, than the actual slaves themselves. He then goes on to discuss the harsh treatments and conditions of the slaves during their travels. Which reinforces the notion of disease weakening slaves throughout their travels. This was caused by lack of space, lack of sanitary ships and sleeping quarters, as well as their diet, or the lack thereof a diet. They were given food rations, which no human could survive on in good standings. Dehydration, due to only receiving one pint of water with their meals also caused many health problems for the