Middle Passage in the Triangular Slave Trade: The West Indies.

Abstract Our narrative focuses on the middle passage of the trade in the West Indies. Herein we describe why more men, women, and children were imported into the West Indies than the other islands. Specifically, our aim was to address how slaves in the middle passage of the triangular trade were treated, how they sustained themselves, and how they instigated wars and used other means of disobedience to facilitate the abolishment of slavery. Moreover, we examined the impact of laws were instituted and enforced by owners to govern the lives of slaves. Several disturbing acts imposed upon slaves by their masters included: physical abuse, disrespect for family life, unhealthy living conditions, and poor diet. Additionally, contributions of Whites who fought against slavery are included. Introduction Slave trading between Europeans and Africans began in the early 160Os. Curtin (1969) proposed two theories for this trading in his discussion of the capture and sale of Africans in his book about the Atlantic trade. One was slave-raiding of African communities an economic activity [that was] consciously pursued for the sake of the European imports could be bought with slaves, and slaves alone (p. 271). The other was, that African societies, like those of other people in other places, settled disputes by military means. Warfare produces prisoners-of-war, who can be killed, enslaved, or exchanged (p. 272). Further, Sundiata (2000) concluded in his discussion of capitalism and slavery that; coerced ... labourer who never returned home probably viewed himself or herself as a slave (p. 132). Many African citizens were taken from their homes and were never returned. They were sold and became slaves in an expanding European empire. Many of the sales had the full cooperation of African kings and merchants who in return for these citizens received various trade goods. Trade between the Europeans and Africans created the first route of the triangular trade. Europeans brought to Africa such goods as copper, manufactured cloth, silks, glassware, ammunition, guns, and pots to trade; in return they received enslaved men, women, children, and other goods. In his study of the history of slaves Lovejoy (2000) reported 4,179,500 slaves from West Central (a little over 40% of the total trade); 2,016,200 from the Bight of Benin; 1,463,700 from the Bight of Biafra; and 1,035,600 from the Gold Coast were exported; four other regions exported under 500,000 slaves. The second route of the triangle was the transporting of slaves from Africa to the Americas. In his study about the Atlantic trade, Thomas (1997) reported 4,120,000 slaves (a little over 36% of the total trade) were imported into the West Indies (i.e., British, French, Dutch, and Danish Islands) and 4,000,000 (a little over 35%) were imported into Brazil. Also, 2,500,000 were sent to the Spanish Empire; 500,000 to British North America and the United States; and 200,000 to Europe and various islands. The final route of the trade completed the triangle was the return of ships to Europe with their trade goods (The Trans-Atlantic trade, n.d.). Overall, there were three journeys in this transatlantic trade: 1. The outward passage from Europe to Africa carrying manufactured goods. 2. The middle passage from Africa to the Americas/Caribbean [Islands] carrying African captives and other commodities. 3. The homeward passage carrying sugar, tobacco, rum, rice, cotton and other goods back to Europe (Freedom: A K83 History Resource, n.d.). Even though the largest number of slaves was imported into Brazil (a single country), the combined imported total for the West Indies was larger by comparison: 4,120,000 for the West Indies and 4,000,000 for Brazil. Owners of slaves sold them for profit and buyers used them for economic gain. Following capture, groups of slaves were separated for sale at the owners' discretion. …