Steven

What is the Transatlantic Slave Trade?
The transatlantic slave trade was an event that happened in the 16th century until 1807. Around 12 million Africans were taken to the Americas and made into slaves. About 15% of the captured Africans died on the sea to America. The death on the middle passage dropped from 20% to 5% by the end of the 18th century. These slaves mainly worked on plantations. Other slaves weaved and dyed cloth, house servants, dress makers, cooks, or nurses.

The middle passage
The middle passage was the journey from Africa to the Americas. The ship that took the slaves from Africa had extremely bad conditions. The slaves would be squashed together in a very small space. Slaves would have had to crouch and had no comfort. No space was wasted on the ship. The ship would have smelled bad and was very hot. The treatment the slaves got was very poor. Slaves were cuffed with metal rings. Some woman slaves were treated like possessions. The good treatment they got was just to make them look healthier to be sold in the Americas.

Many slaves died on the middle passage. Mainly this was due to the 'flux'. If a slave caught the flux they would have had bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and die eventually of dehydration. Other slaves died of bad treatment and poor food. Some caught the small pox and were thrown off board. Many slaves tried to kill themselves by jumping the ship but mast of the times they were pulled back onto the ship cold and wet. Others tried to starve themselves but then they were force fed.

Why was the slavetrade abolished?
The slave trade was abolished for many reasons.