The Middle Passage Essay - 1219 Words

The Middle Passage (or Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade) was a voyage that took slaves from Africa to the Americas via tightly packed ships. The trade started around the early 1500s, and by 1654 about 8,000-10,000 slaves were being imported from Africa to the Americas every year. This number continued to grow, and by 1750 that figure had climbed to about 60,000-70,000 slaves a year. Because of the lack of necessary documents, it is hard to tell the exact number of Africans taken from their homeland. But based on available clues and data, an estimated 9-15 million were taken on the Middle Passage, and of that about 3-5 million died. While the whole idea seems sick and wrong, many intelligent people and ideas went in to making the slave trade†¦show more content†¦Meanwhile in the Americas, European empires were growing, and they realized that they needed a more efficient work force. They had tried using Native Americans, but they usually died from European diseases. Europeans couldn ’t work because of the diseases that the tropical climate gave them. It seemed like Africans would be the perfect solution to their problems. They were used to the tropical climate and immune to its diseases, had experience in agriculture, and there was already a market for them. This introduced the slave trade to North America, and in 1619 the first New World slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia. Most of the earlier slaves to journey the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade were from Windward Coast and Senegambia (Present-day Mauritania), but later expanded all along the coast of Africa. The Atlantic Slave Trade was also given the name â€Å"Middle Passage†, since it was the middle leg in the Triangular trade. The Triangular trade was a trade system among Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Europe made manufactured goods such as textiles, gun powder, firearms, iron and copper bars, alcohol, cloth and brass kitchen ware. These were traded in Africa for slaves, gold, and silv er, which were transported to the Americas, where they were exchanged for tobacco, fish, lumber, flour, sugar cane, cotton, and distilled rum. This merchandise was then brought to Europe, where the cycle began again. The Triangle Trade was veryShow MoreRelatedMiddle Passage By Charles Johnson909 Words   |  4 Pages The book Middle Passage by Charles Johnson tells a story about the triangular slave trade which took place early in America s history. This book was written with such close attention to detail that it gave the reader a sense of what life was like on board a slave boat. Johnson s writing style included many different techniques including the use of varying structure, imagery and language. All of these devices helped create a very successful story about slavery. This book tells the story aboutRead MoreThe Middle Passage And The Transatlantic Slave Trade1594 Words   |  7 Pages Anderson Professor Gray History 1301-155 June 22, 15 The Middle Passage During history there has been plenty of slave trade in different countries. They have traded different ethnicities, and each had a different means of use for these people. What is intriguing is how they commuted these people and how this process has impacted their descendants. A major use of trade in history was the middle passage that was part of the transatlantic slave route. â€Å"The transatlantic slave trade concerns historyRead MoreThe Extreme Cruelty of the Middle Passage Essay1730 Words   |  7 PagesThere is no other experience in history where innocent African Americans encountered such a brutal torment. This infamous ordeal is called the Middle Passage or the â€Å"middle leg† of the Triangular Trade, which was the forceful voyage of African Americans from Africa to the New World. 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As the novel tells Rutherford Calhoun’s transformation of un-awareness allows him to cross â€Å"the sea of suffering† (209) making him forgetRead MoreThe Middle Passage - Original Writing1452 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Middle Passage† Can you imagine walking home from school, or cleaning your personal house in your own neighborhood? When suddenly, you hear knocks on the door and you and your families are kidnapped, taken, and stolen from your own given rights. You become shackled and chained and thrown down to the darkest, deepest hole of a huge ship. While you’re in this terrifying place you are crammed with no room at all. Then your notice that you’re starving for weeks almost months and there’s nothingRead MoreMiddle Passage: A Review Essay487 Words   |  2 PagesReading Portfolio Middle Passage is a novel filled with different techniques such as allusions, foreshadowing, humor, character transitions, and many other techniques. Charles Johnson, the author of this amazing novel wanted the readers to acknowledge the past and present events. He connects the past and the present with many different examples. One example is when the police hit Santos for no reason. This comparison is made very clear and simple enough for the readers to understand that policeRead MoreEssay on Olaudah Equiano1220 Words   |  5 PagesThe Horrid Journey If it were not for the stories past down from generation to generation or the documentations in historical books, the history of the twelve million African slaves that traveled the â€Å"Middle Passage† in miserable conditions would not exist. Olaudah Equiano contributes to this horrid history with The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Through this narrative, the appalling personal experience of each slave is depicted. He accomplishes his rhetorical purpose ofRead MoreThe Difficult and Devastating Lives of African People725 Words   |  3 Pagespark. Waking up every day, living in tribes, and doing daily duties were the most common day for Africans. Until, the middle passage emerged, also known as the Slave Trade. Africans were taken through a devastating ride through history in the making. Africans were kidnapped out of nowhere by the â€Å"white men†. The British, the Europeans, the Caucasian all took part of this â€Å"middle passage era†. Africans were taken two by two, and singled file up the docks of the slave ships. Frozen in shock could