Transatlantic Slave Trade
This document, British Surgeon Describes the Treatment of Slaves during the Middle Passage (Excerpts) was extracted from the book An Account of The African Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa (1788) written by Alexander Falconbridge. Alexander Falconbridge worked as a surgeon on multiple slave ships that traveled the Middle Passage. Falconbridge witnessed the atrocities that befell the Africans that were being transported. This document is a reliable source about the conditions of the ship due to the fact that it is a primary source of a person who was on the slave ships first hand. Because there was no exchanging or meddling of the information, the audience can assume that the narrative reliable and true. The reason why the author, Alexander Falconbridge, goes into little to no detail about the rapings of many slaves is because it is such a heinous act. The crime was committed often against the African female slaves. Also, the rapists always went unpunished owing to the fact that African slaves were seen as inferior and not human. The author even goes on to say that “the officers are permitted to indulge their passions among them at pleasure, and sometimes …show more content…
Falconbridge kept making these voyages because, being a surgeon, he was helping people. Also, by being on those voyages, Falconbridge could provide an accurate and detailed account of what exactly occurred during those journeys. By spreading the word of the horrors that occurred on the slave ships, Falconbridge could change the national opinion of slavery. The American people could then see that what they were supporting (slavery and slave trade) was truly horrible and had to stop. However, while he did give a valiant effort, Americans did not change their ways for many
This document, British Surgeon Describes the Treatment of Slaves during the Middle Passage (Excerpts) was extracted from the book An Account of The African Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa (1788) written by Alexander Falconbridge. Alexander Falconbridge worked as a surgeon on multiple slave ships that traveled the Middle Passage. Falconbridge witnessed the atrocities that befell the Africans that were being transported. This document is a reliable source about the conditions of the ship due to the fact that it is a primary source of a person who was on the slave ships first hand. Because there was no exchanging or meddling of the information, the audience can assume that the narrative reliable and true. The reason why the author, Alexander Falconbridge, goes into little to no detail about the rapings of many slaves is because it is such a heinous act. The crime was committed often against the African female slaves. Also, the rapists always went unpunished owing to the fact that African slaves were seen as inferior and not human. The author even goes on to say that “the officers are permitted to indulge their passions among them at pleasure, and sometimes …show more content…
Falconbridge kept making these voyages because, being a surgeon, he was helping people. Also, by being on those voyages, Falconbridge could provide an accurate and detailed account of what exactly occurred during those journeys. By spreading the word of the horrors that occurred on the slave ships, Falconbridge could change the national opinion of slavery. The American people could then see that what they were supporting (slavery and slave trade) was truly horrible and had to stop. However, while he did give a valiant effort, Americans did not change their ways for many