The slave ships were considered to be a prison as well as a factory for those aboard it. “It was also a factory and a prison, …show more content…
No one was able to have their own living and sleeping space, for that, everyone shared. For this, the smell on the ships was horrible during the first couple nights. The sailors themselves were forced to hang hammocks under the longboats to protect themselves from elements while they slept. The sleeping quarters were strategically placed in case the enslaved would try to revolt against the crew or commit suicide throughout the night. Because the slaves were very confined throughout their stay aboard the ship, this caused many diseases and odor to develop and spread. Those who were sick, young, or dying were kept separate from the others who were …show more content…
The African slaves were forced to leave behind their homes in Africa to be brought to a new location and forced into slavery. Upon entering the ships, they were unsure what to expect. It was clear that the captain and crew needed to keep the slaves alive but they were unwilling to give them any sympathy or kindness for what they were forced into. They were stripped of their clothing, freedom, and humanity from the moment they stepped onto the ship. Unsure of what they would enter into as they got off of the ships, a majority of them were able to use their willpower to live through the voyage. The voyage on the slave ships from Africa to the Western world was an extensive, horrendous, and deadly trip that millions of African peoples were forced upon for years. Laws were created to eliminate the deaths and mistreatment of the slaves but some drew a blind-eye at it. Those that made it off the ships were in for a change of scenery than what they were used to at