Voices from The Transatlantic

Slave Trade

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Trans-Saharan Slave Trade

l Betweenthe10th – 14th centuries,AfricancaptivesweresoldinIslamicmarketsaroundtheareaofpresent-daySudan.

l Manyofthecaptiveswerefemale,soldforservantsorconcubines.

l OthercaptiveswereshippednorthacrossthedesertsofnorthwestAfricatotheMediterraneancoast(toMorocco).

l AfricanswerepurchasedtheretoworkasservantsinSpain,Portugal,andothercountries.

l Bythemid-1400’s,PortugueseshipcaptainsweretradingslavesalongthewestcoastofAfricaforworkingonsugarplantations.

l In1492,Columbuslandedinthe“NewWorld.”ThisnewlinkbetweencontinentsopenedthedoorforthebeginningoftheTrans-Atlantic slavetrade.

l SpanishadventurersandconquistadorsarrivedintheAmericasthroughoutthefollowingyears,enslavingNativeAmericanstosearchforgoldandsilver.

l Nativeswereweakenedbydisease,malnutrition,andSpanishcruelty.

l AstheNativeAmericanpopulationdecreased,theSpanishgovernmentturnedtoAfricanslavestoreplacetheenslavedNativeworkforce.

l Around1520,thefirstAfricanslavesarrivedintheAmericasoffofPortugueseships.

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

l Spanish adventurers arrived in the following years, enslaving Natives to search for gold and silver.

l In 1492, Columbus landed in the “New World”, beginning the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

l Around 1520, the first African slaves arrived in the Americas off of Portuguese ships.

l Natives were weakened by disease, malnutrition, and Spanish cruelty.

TriangleTradeRoute

The Middle Passage

Whatdoyouthinklifeaboardaslaveship

wouldhavebeenlike?

• Peoplewerepackedintoshipsonnumerouswoodenplatformsbetweendecks.

• Thesedecksweregenerallyaround4x6,withlittleheadroom.

• Thecapturedsufferedfromscrapes,bruises,andinfectionsfromlyingonthesebare,unsanitaryplanks.

•Onceenslaved,themenandwomenweretypicallyconfinedbylegironswhileontheship.

•Theywereoftentorturedwithwhipbeatingandironcollars.

• Conditionsbelowdeckwerecrowdedandunsanitary.Thewoodenholdingareaswerecoveredwithexcrement,blood,andfilth.Onlytubswereprovidedforpeopletorelievethemselves.

• Duetothesepoorconditions,manyofthosecapturedsufferedanddiedfromdiseasessuchasdysentery,dehydration,smallpox,andgastrointestinaldiseases.

• Manycommittedsuicidebyjumpingoverboardorrefusingtoeat.Ironpolesweresometimesusedtoforcefeedthoseenslaved.

15%-20%ofenslavedpeopleusuallydiedonthejourneytotheAmericas,atripgenerallytakingseveralmiserable

months.

Imagine:

Whatishethinking?

…hoping?

…wishing?

…remembering?

…seeing?

…feeling?

Assignment:AfricanJournalsAfricanswhoweresoldintotheslave

tradehadidentitiesbeyondbeing“aslave”.Theywerepeoplelivingtheirlives,survivingashumanbeings,andperformingdaytodayactivities.Thesepeoplewereindividualswithskills,hopes,dreams,andfeelings.

Theyhadidentitiesbeyondtheworldtheywereforcedintooncecaptured.

StudentswillassumetheroleofanAfricanandcreatetheirpersonal

journalthatdetailstheirlifebothbeforeandafterbeingsoldintoslavery.

StepforCompletion:

1.Brainstorm

2.ChoosearegionofAfricaandaparticulartimeperiodtoresearch.Inyourresearch,focusonfindingoutinformationthatwillhelpyouinferyourcharactersdaytodaylife.Forexample,youmaywanttofindoutinformationabout:

-Environment-Jobsanddailyhabits-Cultureandtraditions-Religion-Habitat

Womenl Adannal Adetokumbo (ah-Deh-toh-koom-boh) l Adebumi (Ah-day-boo-me) l Adowa (ah-doo-wah) l Aina (eye-nah) l Dacia (day-sha) l Dericia (Dah-ree-sha) l Tanginika (Tann-J-Nee-ka) l Takiyahl Tatul Obax (OH-bah)l Obioma (O-be-o-ma)

Menl Babul Babtundl Bangal Farajil Felal Abimbolal Adisal Adofol Kantigil Kashkal Zahurl Zere

StepforCompletion:

3.ChooseanAfricannameandbegintoimaginethisperson’slife.

NAMEEXAMPLES

4. Asyoubrainstormandimagine,begintocreateyourAfrican’sjournalentries.YourbeginningentriesshouldbesetinyourAfricanhome.

Inyourbeginningentries,consider:

-Whoareyou?-Describewhereyoulive.-Whatdoyoudoeachday?-Whoisaroundyou?Whodoyouspendyourtimewith?-Whatdoyouenjoy?-Whatareyourhopesanddreams?-Whatareyourskills?-Whatdoyoudislike?

5. Middleentries(Afteryourcapture,thevoyageacrosstheMiddlePassage,andyourarrivalintheAmericas)…

-Whereareyouwhilewritingeachentry(onaboat,inacell/stockade,atasale…)?-Howwereyoucaptured?Whocapturedyou?Whatwereyoudoingbeforecaptured?Whatwasyourlifelikebeforecaptured?-Whatishappeningaroundyou?-Whatdoyousee?Smell?Hear?Feel?Hope?Fear?Wish?-Howareyouhandlingthissituation?-Howareothersaroundyouhandlingthissituation?-Whatdoyouthinkisgoingtohappen?-Howareyoumanagingtosurvive?

6.Finalentries…

-Whathaveyoudiscoveredaboutyourself?-Whatareyourreflectionsregardingthisexperiencethusfar?-Whathappenstoyou?(Doesyourjournalhaveanendingentry,doesthewritingsimplydropofthepageandweneverknow,etc.?)

AssignmentDueDate:____________________________