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What is it?

Photo of archaeologically recovered shackles from the Slave Ship The Henrietta Marie 1700.

It transported about 200 slaves from the Bight of Biafra to

Jamaica.

The Middle PassageThe Middle Passage

Lesson Objectives Lesson Objectives • To understand what conditions were like

on the middle passage

What story could these tell?

Today we are going to:

• To investigate the transportation of slaves from Africa to America

• What was life like for slaves crossing the Middle Passage?

The Slave Trade Triangle

Middle Passage

Setting the sceneSetting the scene:• The journey often took many weeks• The weather could often be horrendous• Many slaves had never before seen the sea• The slaves had been ripped apart from their

families.

What do you predict about the slave’s journey?What do you predict about the slave’s journey?

Account by a slave who was taken to work in the West Indies.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.

What was the Slaves experience of the Middle Passage?

The Life of

Olaudah Equiano

the African

Imagine you experienced his life – think of emotions you

would feel

Olaudah Equiano

1. Snatched from my village - Tied with chains and rope.

Olaudah Equiano

2. Taken to the coast and put onto a ship – 600 slaves packed onto the ship - we are forced below decks.

Olaudah Equiano

3. Chained together hands and feet. Packed in like spoons - no room to move. (Length 5ft 6in/width 16inches)

Olaudah Equiano

4. The heat is unbearable - I gasp for breath!

Olaudah Equiano

5. A mixture of unpleasant smells - urine, faeces, and vomit.

Olaudah Equiano

6. I hear the shrieks of women and the groans of the dying.

Olaudah Equiano

7. Food is served – one bucket between 10 men.

Olaudah Equiano

8. I refuse to eat. I am flogged as a punishment!

Olaudah Equiano

9. A slave rebels – his hands and feet are cut off!

Olaudah Equiano

10.A slave commits suicide – he jumps over board.

Olaudah Equiano

11.The crew rape slave women.

Olaudah Equiano

12.Disease and death spreads

Olaudah Equiano

13.The sick and dying are thrown alive overboard.

Olaudah Equiano

14.Twice a week we are forced to dance on deck – or be whipped!

Olaudah Equiano

15.The journey takes two to three months – the crossing is rough!

Olaudah Equiano

16. I am scrubbed with gun powder, lemon juice and palm oil!

Olaudah Equiano

17. I am SOLD at auction to Captain Henry Pascal, a British naval officer.

What sort of emotions do you think he will feel

throughout his journey?

Terrified

Physically sick Nauseous

Scared

Angry

Upset

Add your own emotions

Terrified

Nauseous

Physically sick

Scared

Upset

Angry

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

What was life like for the slaves crossing the Middle Passage?

Choose your own emotions

Activity

1. Copy the statements 1 to 17 in your exercise books.

2. Draw out the living graph• y axis (6 words from your emotion list) • x axis write the numbers 1 to 17• Plot your emotions against the story.

Terrified

Nauseous

Physically sick

Scared

Upset

Angry

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

What was life like for the slaves crossing the Middle Passage?

Choose your own emotions

Plenary

1. Describe the living conditions on board the Slave Ship?

2. Which facts most shocked you?

3. If you had to sum up the Middle Passage in 5 words what words would you choose?