The Slave Trade Video

“I saw many of my miserable countrymen chained together, some with their hands tied behind their backs. We were taken to a place near the coast and I asked the guide why we were here. He told me that I was to learn the ways of the white-faced people. He took a gun, some cloth and some metal in exchange for me. This made me cry bitterly. I was then taken to a ship where I saw my fellow captives moaning and crying.” Account by a slave who was taken to work in the West Indies.

The Atlantic Slave Trade When? Spanish & Portuguese start slaving in Africa still smuggling slaves until the end of the civil war (technically illegal in 1808)

The Atlantic Slave Trade Why? (3 reasons combined) Labor shortage (not enough workers) Ethnocentrism –(feelings of superiority) Greed

The Atlantic Slave Trade Where to? 5% 60% 35% 65% 30% 5% Where from?

Number of people enslaved 30 million taken from their homes 10 million die during capture phase 10 million die during middle passage 10 million survive to make it over the ocean

Phases of the Slave Trade Capture: Tribes often did not have a choice in helping capture neighbors “divide and conquer” Most captured miles inland Video

"Captives... are hobbled with roughly hewn logs which chafe their limbs to open sores; sometimes a whole tree presses its weight on their bodies while their necks are penned into the natural prong formed by its branching limbs.” Written by E.J. Glave, The Slave-Trade in the Congo Basin

Phases of the Slave Trade West African expectations about slavery: A slave’s child would not be a slave Slaves were not slaves for life

Phases of the Slave Trade Capture : Christiansborg Castle, Gold Coast, ca Cape Coast Castle, Gold Coast, 1727

Thinking Question: (Don’t write down – just think!) Given how many people died during the “Capture phase” or on the “Middle passage,” what do you think went on in the minds of the slave catchers and slave traders?

Phases of the Slave Trade 2. The Middle Passage Journey over the Atlantic Ocean people in a boat with little air & much disease Video

What was life like on board the Brookes? Carried 400 slaves Distance between decks 1.5 metres Men in bow, boys in centre, women in stern Temperatures - 35ºC Journey lasted days Dysentery 20 million slaves ( )

Phases of the Slave Trade 2. The Middle Passage - Tight Pack Higher mortality, higher profits

Phases of the Slave Trade 2. The Middle Passage - Loose pack Lower mortality, lower profits

Engraving showing the treatment of an African slave girl by the British Captain Kimber of the merchant ship ‘Recovery’. The girl, aged 15, was whipped to death for allegedly refusing to dance naked for the captain. Following a public outcry, Kimber was arrested and tried before the High Court of Admiralty in He was ultimately acquitted (let off), the jury having concluded that the girl had died of disease, and not maltreatment.

An illustration from a novel showing the deck of a slave ship as it anchors in Jamaica, while the slaves were being prepared for sale. They were brought up on the top deck. “Each individual was seized by a sailor, who stood by with a soft brush in his hand and a pail at his feet; the latter containing a black composition of gunpowder, lemon-juice, and palm-oil. Of this mixture the unresisting captive received a coating which, by the hand of another sailor, was rubbed in the skin, and polished with a brush" until his skin glistened like a newly-blacked boot..... It was not the first time those unfeeling men had helped prepare a slaver's cargo for market.”

 starter activity Slaves waiting for the auction to begin. Imagine you are one of the people waiting at auction. List the thoughts that are going through your mind.

Phases of the Slave Trade 3. “Seasoning” - Brutal work camps, 4-5 months in Caribbean Meant to train people to be slaves

How were slaves prepared for auction? Washed with water Rubbed with oil Gunpowder, hot tar or rust rubbed into wounds Teeth inspected Brutal remedies, e.g. for diarrhoea Two methods of sale – auction & scramble What does this C19th poster tell us about the way slaves were treated by plantation owners?

What sort of lives did they lead? Branded on face, chest or back 3-4 year-olds work in ‘trash gangs’ (weeding) 9-12 year-olds work in fields with adults Elderly worked as domestic servants No legal rights – forbidden to read, write, marry own property Flogging & other punishments How would you feel if you were branded with one of these irons?

Punishments Rebellions – rebels nailed to ground, fire applied starting at the feet and moving upwards Running away – neck ring or iron muzzle Continued running away – removal of hand or foot Flogging – one lash for each year of slave’s life How old do you think this slave was? Average life expectancy was 26. Why do you think it was so low?

Working day 5:30 – go straight to field. Work until 8.00am. Latecomers whipped 8:00 – Stop work for breakfast: boiled yam & okra seasoned with salt & pepper 8:30 - Continue work 12:00 pm – Rest & lunch: salted meat or pickled fish 2:00pm – Start work again 6:00pm – Return to huts Night time – During harvest, work in mill or boilings houses through night Video

An iron mask with hooks around the neck to stop slaves running away or resting. The mask also stops the slaves from eating or drinking due to a flat piece of metal which goes into the mouth. The shackles and spurs would also have made it difficult for captured slaves to run away.

The Triangle Trade

Growth of Slavery Why Africans? Americas are desperate for labor Harder for Africans to run away than Native Americans African strengths - agricultural practices, resistance to diseases

Growth of Slavery How did African slaves fight back? Open revolt (rare) Work slowdowns Breaking Tools Poisoning food

Thinking Question: (Don’t write down – just think!) While many slaves resisted, not all of them did. What did they have to lose?

Growth of Slavery How much did it grow? million in slavery million (1/3 of Southern population)

Growth of Slavery Why? Invented made slavery VERY productive 100x faster than by hand More efficient = more $ (so need more slaves) Cotton Gin

Slavery In America Slaves spoke many languages. Slaves kept many of their cultural traditions. African words entered the European languages. African foods and music blended with European’s. There were some revolts but few were successful. (Most common to break tools and work slowly.) Zambo baby = half black half Native America

Impact of Slavery African families were separated as mostly men were taken captive. Whole tribes and societies were destroyed. Cultural diffusion occurred.