Early European settlers in America had a lot of work to do, but not many people to do it. To solve the problem, they brought slaves from Africa to do the work. Slavery was a cruel experience that has left lasting effects on American life.
Slavery began in the U.S. Colonies in the early 1600’s and lasted until 1865. By that time, the slave population was approximately 4 million people. 95% of slaves in America lived in the Southern states. European slave traders kidnapped people from Africa and shipped them to America. Slaves were chained so that they could not escape or fight back. They were sent by ship across the Atlantic Ocean. The terrible voyage, called the “Middle Passage,” lasted up to a month. As many as half of the slaves died along the way.
Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797)
Olaudah Equiano was abducted at the young age of 11 from his Ibo village in West Africa (Benin) and enslaved, endured the terrible "middle passage" and was sold into slavery. Thirty years later he was able to purchase his freedom and wrote his famous autobiography, "The Life of Olaudah Equiano." His slave narrative was very influential in bringing about an end to slavery, especially in Great Britain. He later became an abolitionist and spent the last part of his life traveling the world speaking out against the cruelty of slavery.
The excerpt below describes his voyage from Africa to the New World.
[3] One day they had taken a number of fishes, and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on the deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by hunger, took an opportunity when they thought no one saw them of trying to get a little privately; but they were discovered, and the attempt procured them some very severe floggings (whippings).
[4] One day, when we had a smooth sea and moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings and jumped into the sea: immediately another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would very soon have done the same if they had not been prevented by the ship’s crew, who were instantly alarmed. Those of us that were the most active were in a moment put down under the deck, and there was such a noise and confusion amongst the people of the ship as I never heard before, to stop her, and get the boat out to go after the slaves. However two of the wretches were drowned, but they got the other, and afterwards flogged him unmercifully for thus attempting to prefer death to slavery. In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade.
Discussion Questions:
1. Describe what the middle passage was like. Why was it often so deadly?
2. What would you have found most difficult about the middle passage?
Discovery Education
Understanding Slavery: The Story of Olaudah Equiano
27 comments:
1. The middle passage was like nothing you could imagine. It was so terrifyly cruel and brutal the slaves acually took there own life. Also it was very crowded and cramped and even worse they barely ate. The conditions were so bad you could barely even breathe.
2. I think what I would have found the most difficult about the middle passage is not getting food and being so cramped up below the decks.
Gage
1.) The Middle Passage was terrible. According to Olaudah Equiano, it smelled and made him so sick that the crew thought about keeping him on the top deck at all times. Many people died and those who didn't had to hear the screaming ogf the women there and the moaning of the dying people.
2.) I would find the smells the most difficult to deal with, I don't think I could stand having to smell the same duscusting thing everyday for a month.
~~Chelsi C.~~
1: The middle passage was a horrific event. The smell of all of the bodies on board the ship was unbearable. The smell was so bad people were often brought up on to the deck for fresh air, when they were almost dead. Even the thought of this makes me cringe. If I was stuck on a ship with hundreds of other people who havent showered in months I would want to jump overboard, because anything could be better than that.
2: What I found the most difficult about the middle passage, was the fact that the people were tied up next to eachother with only inches between eachother, for months at a time on their way to the United
States. Also, the fact that the people only gave them fresh air if they were about to die just boggles my mind.
Nate
1. The middle passage was where slaves were taken from Africa to America. It was considered so deadly because under the deck the smell was so terrible it would cause the slaves to get sick.It was also very overcrowded which left them very little room to move. They also were fed very little and whipped if they refused to do what they were told. Also if you are near death and lucky you would get to stay on the deck for part of the day.
2.The part of the middle passage that would be most difficult would be a mix of the smell and being on the boat, because of sea sickness.
Megan W.
1. The middle passage was aterrible event. It was a long and hardjourney that lasted about one month where african americans were crampedinto tight quarters where it was almost impossible to breath.
2. If I was on one of the slave ships during themiddlepassage I think the worst thing for me would have been not being able to relaxand being in thetight spaces.
Nick
Rachael H.
1) Describe what the middle passage was like. Why was it often so deadly?
The middle passage was the journey slaves took by boat to the colonies to be bought as slaves. It was often very deadly because of the intense living conditions on the boat. Bodies were packed together, amlost completely unable to move, and the odors were almost unbearable.
2)What would you have found most difficult about the middle passage?
Im my opinion, i think the worst part would be the stench. The smells would be impossible to take.
1.This passage is about a man named Olaudah Equiano who was a slave who was freed, he wrote an autobiography and spoke out to about his life. It was so deadly because slavery was so harsh down south you would be lucky to live.
2.I think catering to the owners 24/7 would really be the most difficult part for me.
1. the middle passage was long and rough. it could last for months. many slaves died along the way. the slaves were chained and foced to lay in a small area and were't allowed to move. they got some air, though. it was deadly because of the stench and they did not always eat.
2. what i would have found most difficult in the middle passage is the chains and small space with the stench. i hate tight manacles and small, smelly places.
Mallory
The middle passage was a very scary experience for the african americans. The conditions were deadly because there was hardly any room to move and whenever someone got sick many people would get sick because they were so close together.
The thing i would have found most difficult about the middle passage would have been being so close to everyone and also i wouldnt be able to take the smell. -Jackie
1. The Middle Passage was a slave ship going to America. It was hard for slaves because they were whipped. They also didn't get any good food.The space for slaves to sleep were very small. It was often deadly because many people commited suicide and about half the slaves died along they way.
2.I would have found the small space and little food would be the most difficult part about the middle passage. Also, the whipping might really be very difficult to go through.
1) The middle passage was awful half of the slaves who were on the ship died. The stench on the ship was so intolerable that it was dangerous. The people that were on the ship were so close together that mostly all of them got sick.
2)I think that the most difficult part about being on the middle passage is that everybody was so close together. I do not like being so closed in by other things.
The middle age passage was terrible, it smelled bad and you could here cries every where.Some people often jumped over the edge to ecaspe the smell and cries. What i would of thought that was the most difficult was the smell and the cries of helpless people.
Taylor G.
1.
* Usually rough
* Were often kept under the deck where it stinks
* Very little room to turn during the night
* Very little food
* About half died along the way due to sickness
* Air wasn’t fresh/breathable
* Chained together
* Some thrown over board
2. Life because you don’t have fresh air breath, you’d be under the deck, you don’t have much food, not much room to sleep or turn. You can easily get sick because of the tight quarters. Rarely allowed up on deck. You’d be chained together to someone else. You would be thrown overboard if you weren’t healthy, alive, or weren’t behaving. You could easily die on the Middle Passage.
1. The middle passage was the boat trip to North America. The slaves were in the lower deck rigth next to each other. They also didn't have anywhere to go to the bathroom so they had to go where they were lying. It was dangerous because some people could've gotten a disease and it wouldn't take very long for the disease to spread to the other slaves.
2. I would find being cramped next to the same person for most of the day the most difficult.
Chris P.
1.The middle passage was a voyage where european slave traders kidnapped slaves and shipped them to america. They were held under deck and chained. They usually became sick and couldnt even eat.
2.The whole middle passage was awful, but the one thing i would have found the worse was being held in such a small space with so many people and hardly any air.
Josh C.
1. It was horible. Tey were chained to the ship and starved. Since they weren't sea proned, most got sick and died. If they misbehaved, they were whipped.
2. The whole expirence was horrible. I can't pick out one spot that was the worst.
Mike L.
Josh you thimk like me. Their whole voyage was horrible and you agree with me.
Mike L.
1.Describe what the middle passage was like. Why was it so often deadly?
The middle passage was very harsh. Many slaves were often killed on this long vigourus journey. They 'white men' had no repect for the blacks. It was so often dealdy because of the heat, smell, and the other living conditions they were exposed to for an extender period of time.
2. What would you have found most diffucult about the middle passage?
I would have found the fact of being so close to other people very disturbing. Also the smell, lack of food, water, and respect would have disturbed me deeply. Overall, this would have been one of the worse times of your life.
Tom
1. The middle passage was very cruel. The slaves would be fed every few days and when they were fed, it was very little. It was often so deadly because many slaves could not handle this pain and therefore died.
2. I think i would of struggled when the slaves had to be packed so tightly together on the bottom deck becauase i always need a lot of room to function.
Danielle B.
1. The "Middle Passage" was the ship full of African Slaves traveling to "the New World", now known as America. The conditions were horrble. All the slaves were crammed together. If slaves refused to eat, do a task, tried to steal food or tried to jump off the boat, they were flogged (whipped) several times. The boat reaked. It was not proper living conditions. Actually, it was quite awful.
2. I think the most difficult thing for me would have been being crammed together and starving. I like my space and im claustrphobic. I cant do any hard labor without having protein or carbohydrates there to help me. It would be very challenging.
1.) The Middle Passage was horrible. It smelt so bad that people below deck had to come up for fresh air before they died. Many, many people died just because of the stench and the lack of room.
2.) I think that the smell would affect me the most because it was so bad that people died. I know I could never stand it.
Devin H.
Rachael C.
1)The Middle Passage was a terrible voyage that brought slaves to America and other countries. It was an extremly vile voyage that lasted for weeks. Slaves were forced into tight quaters under the deck of the ship. Many slaves became so sick that they resisted the little food that the guards gave them. If they did not take the food they were whipped. Some slaves took their own lives by jumping off the decks of the ships. Its is Often so deadly beacuse of the stench. It created a sickness which many slaves died from.
2)I would have found the smell and the tight areas a huge difficulty
1.The middle passage was terrible because there was very limited space and a lot of sickness. There was severe whipping if you did not eat. In the holes of the ship there was a stench (stink). They got fed once every two days.
2. What we would find most difficult in the middle passage is how you only get fed once every two days. Also how there was not a lot of space
1.The Middle Passage had offensive odors, was sickening to the slaves, and had such tight quarters that the slaves could hardly breathe . It was so deadly because the slaves got flogged time after time, there were rough seas and perspiration odors which made the slaves terribly sick. The slaves lived in such horrible conditions that they wanted to jump off the ship and die.
2. The hardest part about The Middle Passage would be getting beaten and whipped every day. You wouldn’t be able to stop them from hurting you, and as you scream or cry in pain, they would laugh and hit you with more power. They didn’t care if you were a human, they would treat you like an animal. You didn’t have any rights.
1. The middle passage was very hard to live in because they treated you very cruel. They got whipped and beaten daily. Some of the slaves jumped off the ship because the ship smelt bad and they got very little food. It was often so deadly because of the awful conditions it was in such as the horrible smell. The slaves got very ill from this stench.
2. The most difficult thing about the middle passage is the way slaves were treated. This was bad because they were constantly flogged (whipped) and beaten. This was very bad because nobody deserves to be treated that way. I would never want to be a slave because getting flogged and beaten hurts very badly.
1. It was terrible because they were treated horribly. There were not enough beds for every person, and the stench was deadly.
The stench was so terrible some people maybe have gotten poisoned. The heat was unbearable for one person to handle. If one person got sick many would follow after.
2.The tiny beds and incredible heat might have made this terrible because some temperatures are unbearable to stand in and they could have died from the warmth. The beds were so tiny you could fall off and hurt yourself
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