Middle passage

This story explains the hardships of being a slave and how they came to America.

                                                                                                                       Middle Passage

Even during the early ages of time, slavery existed. In 17th and 18th century though, slavery became very big in America. First, Africans were kidnapped by their own race of people and sold temporarily to captains of the ships that made the long voyage on the Atlantic sea to Africa. The captains would sail to Africa and pay African slave traders for the other Africans that they abducted they were forced on the ships. From this point on they had little to no chance of returning to their home. The 6-8 week journey back to the Americas was called the middle passage, and on this journey the slaves would be physically and emotionally abused, and also treated like cargo.

Slaves were beaten or flogged severely, for being disobedient and or unwilling to do what the crew or captain had said. For example Olaudah Equiano was sold as a slave. He states, “. . . . on my refusing not to eat, one of the two white men held me fast by the hands, and laid me across, I think, the windlass,[a type of winch that was used as a hauling or lifting device] and tied my feet while the other flogged me severely. . . . .” (Source E) One way that the captain or crew beat the slaves was by using a cat-o-nine whip. A cat-o-nine whip is a whip that has about a 2 feet rod with nine knotted thongs made of cotton and the tips on the knot had tar on them to rip the flesh of the slave’s backs in one whip. Another way that they physically abused the slaves was by drowning them. For the most willing and uncooperative  slaves, they were tied to a bag of rocks and were pushed into the water. Women that were on the ships were sometimes rapped. This was called bed warming. Women mostly at night were taken from the tween decks and were forced to have sexual relations with the crew or captain. The women would comply and try to make the captain happy so they would not have to go back to the tween decks that were filled with urine, rats, lice, heat so hot, and a smell that was undesirable. Even if they were pregnant after the rape they were put back into the tween decks. The last way they were physically abused was by being crushed in the tween decks. The slaves were put in the tween decks which were a floor in between the deck and the bottom of the ship that was not very tall. They were put down here when sleeping and sometimes through the week. This floor was very uncomfortable and when the ship hit a wave, this would cause the slaves to fall all over the place most times on top of each other. The weight of the slaves would crush the slaves at the bottom and kill them. The captain would not necessarily care about the slaves, but by the amount of money that they had lost.

Not only were the slaves physically abused but also tormented emotionally. For example, when the slaves boarded the ships they were deprived of their clothes, which would deprive them of their dignity, and make it less likely that they would rebel or fight back. Crews and captains would laugh at them for being scared of fighting back and ultimately lower the slave’s confidence. Another way that they slaves were emotionally abused is when the crew dismembered some of the slaves to strike fear in the rest. Thomas Phillips, was a slave ship captain and wrote an account of his activities in Journal of a Voyage this is part of his experience. “I have been informed that some commanders have cut of the legs or arms of the most willful slaves, to terrify the rest, for they believe that, if they lose a member that they could not return home again”. (Source B) Thomas was told to do the same on his ship but he would not even think of doing it as he thought that it was not their fault that they were lacking Christianity, and that they were looked upon the same as whites by God. The last way that the slaves were emotionally abused, was that they were forced to dance. The slaves did not want to dance, but were made to or else they were beaten or killed. They were forced to dance for exercise, as the slaves did not do much running around on the ships this was the only way that they could stay in shape. These also made them embarrassed and feel defenseless.

The last way that the slaves were treated was like cargo. Slaves were treated like goods in a closet. For example, the slaves on the Brookes were put in the tween deck that usually held about 450 people. On this ship there were over 600 people. This is demonstrated with the illustration or diagram of the slave ship brooks which was drawn for the British parliament (Source A).  To accommodate for this many people they packed the slaves spoonways. Dr. Thomas Trotter, a physician working on the slave ship, Brookes was interviewed by a House of Commons Committee. When asked if the slaves had any room to turn themselves he replied “No. The slaves that are out of irons are locked spoonways and locked to one another. . . “The slaves were put together like you would put spoons on top of each other. They were put away like storage and would be left and not cared about. They would sometimes go days without eating and would “go bad” as food would if not preserved. Before being sold at auction, the crew would rub them with lard to bring out there muscles and to make them look presentable and sellable. The crew would also fill the slave’s cuts with tar to make them look like they had no injuries. This would burn the slaves even more, but would fool the white buyers and make them think that they did not have any cuts.

As you can see slaves were physically abused, emotionally tormented, and treated like goods and cargo. Even though we used the slaves back then, it was wrong because they did not deserve anything to be treated like this. Though we now prosper as a nation it was because the black race helped us causing them not to develop in today’s world. It was said that 15 million Africans were on the middle passage and about three million died. This is horrific and I feel disgusted to know that this is or background and it will always be.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

True history is filled with sadness. Just in the short time of the USA history. So much abuse and bad actions. I like your description and facts given in this story. I went to Honduras on two tours with the Army. I saw the Grand children of the slaves who broke away and ended in Central and South America. They create beautiful and wonderful cities on the coastlines. I spend a lot of time with good people with the old beliefs. Thank you for sharing the information. True history is worst then fiction.
Coyote

[Renée]

So incredibly much to say on this..first my heart cries..the cruelty human can knowingly inflict on each other is off the charts thru history..and still exists...
Thank you for keeping this part of history in the light !

[just is]

WOW is all i can say, Can't believe what I just read, but yet I can. Such a depth in this write. Yes Slavery is wrong, I never understood why they were used like that. We all are the same underneath. We all have one heart and one God. I will never understand why so many people are so racist, is it because they don't understand. it just aggitates me to see other people think they are better. It's not right I agree with you.

Rather we are ornage, blue or yellow we all have one life we shouldn't feel like we are better than each other. I don't get it and it makes me sad. Don't people understand there is only one God, we all will go there each day. There isn't more then one heaven above and that is where we all meet.

I would like to see some of these white fols go through what the slaves went through they would mad the rest of their life. I mean i can understand the hatered. I would be mad and probably hateful. No one should have gone through it. But still to this day Martin Luther King jr. said it all... I admire him.

[Doctor Charles Reverend..]

I hope this essay really shines a light in your head that not to long ago slavery was a big deal and a problem in America and how we treated these African Americans at the time. Please feel free to write and submit a review and any feedback you can give me would be appreciated. Thank you.