The African Slave Trade

Beginnings

• The African slave trade is believed to have started in 1441 when a ship sailing for Prince Henry of Portugal returned with 12 African for sale into slavery.

• The slave trade would continue for the next 400 years and involved 12 to 15 million Africans.

• Portugal, Spain, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and the United States would all profit from the trade.

• Slavery had existed since ancient times. The Greeks, Romans, and other ancient societies had practiced slavery.

• The African Slavery was different in 3 important ways.

• 1. It involved many more people than before• 2. Slaves were treated much harsher than before• 3. Unlike before, Race and racism will be the

major factor in determining who would be a slave

Capture

• The journey into slavery started when people were captured by rival tribes in the interior of Africa

• Many African tribes depended on slavery in order to buy European goods

• Once captured, the people would be forced to marched to west coast of Africa

• Sometimes the forced march could be as long as 500 miles and take up to 8 months to reach the coast

• If a captive became sick or injured during the march, they would be left behind to die a sure death

Slave “Castles”

• Upon arrival at the coast, captives would be lock in a dungeon beneath one of fifty “castles” constructed by Europeans along the coast until shipment to America

Slave “Factories”

• Often the people would be sold by the “castle” to a “factory”.

• They would be worked until a slave ship arrived. Then the “factory” would sell them to the ship’s captain

• At the Slave “Factory” people would often be branded to show ownership

The Middle Passage

• After purchase, Africans would be chained to each other and placed below deck

• They would remained chained below deck for most of the eight weeks it took to make to voyage to America

• There were two ways of loading the slave ships: “Tight Pack” and “Loose Pack”

“Tight Pack”

• Africans were loaded using every available space on the ship

• As many as 1000 people would be chained below deck

• Picture on the bottom shows a “Tight Pack”

“Loose Pack”

• Europeans also gave the Africans more space under the “Loose Pack”

• It was done so more people could survive the voyage and be sold into slavery in the Americas

• Picture on top shows the “loose Pack”

Nightmare

• Conditions in the slave hold was terrible!

• It was poorly ventilated, hot, humid, infested with filth and diseases

• Africans would be chained in the hold for most of the day

• The average time to cross the Atlantic was 8 weeks

Death

• Death on the Middle Passage was common

• 20% of the Africans would not survive the voyage

• Most died of disease but cruel treatment, mutinies, and suicides were also factors in the alarming death rate

• Africans, sick with disease, were often thrown overboard at the first symptom signs

“Dancing” on the Middle Passage

• Sometimes Africans would be brought on the top deck for fresh air, a salt water bath, and exercise.

• Europeans called the exercise “Dancing the slaves”

Mutiny!

• There are over 300 documented incidents where Africans tried to win their freedom by overpowering their captors

• Most mutinies took place within the sight of land and were unsuccessful

La Amistad

• The most famous successful mutiny took place in 1839 on board the Spanish slave ship La Amistad

• 53 African captives took control of the ship off the coast of Cuba

• The La Amistad mutiny was led by Joseph Cinque who had used a nail to free himself and the others

The Amistad Africans Trial

• After the mutiny, the Africans were arrested and tried for murder in the United States.

• In 1843 the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court

• The Amistad Africans were represented by former president John Quincy Adams He was 73 years old and had not appeared before a court in 30 years

• He would argue for 8 hours in their defense

The Court Rules

• The Supreme Court ruled that the Africans had not committed a crime and should be returned to their home in Africa

• This is the ONLY time in the 400 year history of the slave trade that Africans were returned to their home

Slave Auctions

• Those Africans who survived the Middle Passage were offered for sale into slavery at a slave auction.

• Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans were the main action places

Slavery Images

End of the Nightmare

• In 1807 Great Britain was the first nation to make the African slave trade illegal

• The United States outlawed the trade in 1808. African continued to be smuggled into the U.S. until 1862

• The last Middle Passage voyage took place in 1888 when a Portuguese slave ship sailed to Brazil

Thirteenth Amendment

• The United States finally abolished the institution of slavery in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution

P. S.

• John Newton who is the author of the famous gospel hymn Amazing Grace was a captain of a slave ship for the Royal African Company until he found religion

• He was ordained a minister and spent his later years working to outlaw the slave trade

Amazing Grace

• Amazing grace! How sweet the soundThat saved a wretch like me!I once was lost, but now am found;Was blind, but now I see.

• Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,And grace my fears relieved;How precious did that grace appearThe hour I first believed.