How many of the following terms do you know the meaning of? NARRATIVE CROSS REFERENCE MOTIVE INFERENCE EVALUATE CORROBORATE INTERPRETATION PROVENANCE SUBSTANTIATE STARTER

THE MIDDLE PASSAGE

Listen to the description of conditions on board the ship written by Alex Haley in Roots Page 80 of the Think History text book Consider and reflect carefully what you have listened to. Summarise the passage in your exercise book starting your sentence: According to Alex Haley, Kunta Kinte…. TASK 1 What was the Middle Passage?

The Middle Passage Watch the scenes from the middle passage in Roots Make notes in your ex book of the conditions on board the slave ship Add to your list of the violations against them TASK 2

What were the conditions like on the slave ships? Read the text book ‘Think History’ and look at the sources. Read the text book ‘Think History’ and look at the sources. Use the evidence to complete a table like the one below. Use the evidence to complete a table like the one below. HorrorEvidence (short quote or fact) in source Task 2

BUT: In 1971, the historian Oliver Ransford wrote: In 1971, the historian Oliver Ransford wrote: To continue writing about the horrors of the Middle Passage is both tedious and gruesome, and it comes as something of a relief to realise that perhaps too much has been made of them. For the accounts that have come down to us are those which were collected and then broadcast to a wide public by the abolitionists, and as usual with propaganda they show only one side of the coin. To continue writing about the horrors of the Middle Passage is both tedious and gruesome, and it comes as something of a relief to realise that perhaps too much has been made of them. For the accounts that have come down to us are those which were collected and then broadcast to a wide public by the abolitionists, and as usual with propaganda they show only one side of the coin. It must be remembered too that all long sea voyages during the days of sail were attended by gross discomfort and danger … When abolitionists sent 400 freed slaves from England to take up new lives in Sierra Leone, no less than 84 of them died during the voyage … It must be remembered too that all long sea voyages during the days of sail were attended by gross discomfort and danger … When abolitionists sent 400 freed slaves from England to take up new lives in Sierra Leone, no less than 84 of them died during the voyage … Perhaps too little attention has been paid to the elaborate precautions which were taken to safeguard the ship’s health… the well-known slaver Captain Crow, for instance, treated his ‘passengers’ so well that whenever his ship berthed at Kingston, Jamaica, a crowd of Black Africans would come on board to greet their old friend. Perhaps too little attention has been paid to the elaborate precautions which were taken to safeguard the ship’s health… the well-known slaver Captain Crow, for instance, treated his ‘passengers’ so well that whenever his ship berthed at Kingston, Jamaica, a crowd of Black Africans would come on board to greet their old friend.

Much of the Abolitionists’ case consisted of presenting to the public what they characterised as the ‘facts’ of the Middle Passage. Much of the Abolitionists’ case consisted of presenting to the public what they characterised as the ‘facts’ of the Middle Passage. It makes no logical sense for the Abolitionists’ stories of wilful, malicious cruelty and murder to be true. Even if they regarded their slaves as sub-human cargo, it made sense for the slavers to treat them humanely, if only to get a good price at auction in the Americas – a dead slave was an absolute loss. It makes no logical sense for the Abolitionists’ stories of wilful, malicious cruelty and murder to be true. Even if they regarded their slaves as sub-human cargo, it made sense for the slavers to treat them humanely, if only to get a good price at auction in the Americas – a dead slave was an absolute loss.

James Penny – Slave Trader Read the information sheet about James Penny. Answer the questions which follow on the next slide Read the information sheet about James Penny. Answer the questions which follow on the next slide James Penny gave evidence to a Parliamentary Committee about slavery. Look at the answers he gave. Write down what questions he was asked James Penny gave evidence to a Parliamentary Committee about slavery. Look at the answers he gave. Write down what questions he was asked Task 3

Questions about James Penny What types of commodities were being traded for a ship full of enslaved men, women and children? What types of commodities were being traded for a ship full of enslaved men, women and children? What proportion of slaves died on each journey? What proportion of slaves died on each journey? What was the % of crew deaths? What does this suggest about the risks/profits involved? What was the % of crew deaths? What does this suggest about the risks/profits involved? James Penny was a ship’s master who later became an investor and part-owner. What does this tell you about the money involved? James Penny was a ship’s master who later became an investor and part-owner. What does this tell you about the money involved?

Plenary: What aspects of significance are shown in the Middle Passage? What aspects of significance are shown in the Middle Passage?