The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage was the crossing of African slaves from Africa to America through the Atlantic Ocean. The slaves were stockpiled in massive cargo ships and shipped abroad to their new masters. The middle passage took the enslaved slaves away from their homeland; many of these slaves had never been on the sea before and did not know what awaited them once they arrived abroad. These voyages usually took six to eight weeks, but bad weather could increase the trips to thirteen or more weeks. Many slaves lost their lives through sickness, suicide and murder at the hands of the ship’s crew and captains. The few who made it alive were sold upon arrival.

Slaves’ Experience

Their owner-controlled almost every aspect of a slave’s life; this means that they had no freedom making the slave experience inhumane. The slave owners gave them new names and dictated what they could eat, where they slept, or the clothes they could wear. Many of the slaves were mistreated by their owners, who forced them to work for long hours with no food nor pay. Their masters raped the majority of slave women as a way to ensure their submission.

The Process of Seasoning

Upon arrival, slaves were forced to adapt to new living and working conditions; they were forced to learn new languages and adopt new customs. The slaves were tortured to break them and condition them to the new way of life. These were referred to as the seasoning process. The brutality of this process was overwhelming, and many either died or committed suicide. Those who resisted were punished harshly and brutally. The most valuable slaves were those born in America and were known as Creole slaves; the least relevant slaves were those shipped from Africa. Therefore, the slave traders tried to present the enslaved Africans to look like the Creole slave in behaviour and character..

Personal Account of Slave Experience

One African slave called Olaudah Equiano recorded his experience in a transcript. He recalls how, as a child, they were kidnapped from their home in Nigeria with his sister. He contrasts the relatively benign nature of slavery in Africa with the treatment he experienced aboard a slave ship. He said that he feared that the European crew would eat them due to their brutality. He further highlights his life with other slaves below the ship’s deck. He stated that “the shrieks of the women and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole scene of horror almost inconceivable.”

How the rhetoric of the revolution highlighted the hypocrisy in slavery

Though the revolution did not lead to the abolition of slavery, it sparked the process of immediate and gradual emancipation in the Northern States of America. It generated unprecedented debate on the morality of slavery and its compatibility with the founding doctrines of the new nation. It is in the wake of the Revolutionary war that antislavery societies were formed. Quakers, who were staunch Christians, highlighted that all humans possessed an inner light and were equal under the gods’ eyes. They exposed controversial ideas of racial and gender equality, viewing slavery as immoral and dehumanizing behaviour. The fight for liberty led to some American slaveholders to free their slaves, and soon most northern states passed emancipation laws. The revolutions ‘rhetoric of equality created a revolutionary generation of slaves and free black Americans who would eventually stimulate the antislavery movements.

Role of African American Slaves

At the outbreak of the war with Britain, there were around half a million blacks in the United States. Many of them took part in the conflict, either directly or indirectly. African-American slaves became soldiers in the army. In most cases, the participation was voluntary, where else in other regions, they were forcedly drafted in the military. More than five thousand African Americans joined the Continental Army, some serving in blacks –only regiments while others fought alongside white soldiers. Africans in the regular army and the civilian militias were promised their freedom; this dramatically increased the numbers of black soldiers in the revolutionary war. British also promised freedom for any Africans who took their cause; this prompted thousands of slaves to escape and fight alongside the British.

Slave Rebellions

Nat Turner’s Rebellion is considered to be among the most successful black revolts in history.  It frightened Southerners because it challenged the idea that slavery was a benevolent institution and that blacks were happy being slaves. Slave owners portrayed themselves as kind masters who were tutoring blacks in civilization and religion. However, Turner contrasted this argument and advocated for the freedom of slaves. Nat Turner was born into slavery in October 1800 on slaveholder Benjamin Turners farm. He was an acclaimed personal prophet who believed that the lord intended some grand purpose for him and his black colleagues.

He led the rebellion in February of 1831. Turner and his men killed his slave owner and his family; he further gained followers then went ahead, killing whites, taking money, supplies and firearms as he travelled. By the time he was captured, he had managed to kill over fifty-five white southerners. His rebellion led to the death of many slaves who had participated in the revolt while their angry white masters killed many more. However, the uprising was successful in highlighting the lie that slavery was a compassionate institution. He also managed to show how Christian beliefs supported his bid for freedom.

The Stono Rebellion of 1739 was the most massive slave rebellion in the British colonies of mainland America. The uprising was led by a slave named Jemmy; it consisted of around twenty Angolan slaves. They ransacked an arms and ammunition houses stealing firearms and set fire to several plantations. They killed a number of white people that they found on their way. The rebellion was a great success as they accumulated followers and managed to spread the message of liberty to other slaves. The uprising was able to put on the spotlight some underlying problems posed by the growing number of slaves. The British hence inflicted stricter laws on-screen slave imports, particularly those coming to Charleston. The importation of slaves from the Angola-Congo region was henceforth banned. The following year, the Negro Act of 1740 was passed; it made it illegal for slaves to move abroad, assemble in groups, earn money or learn English. Owners were given the authority to kill rebellious slaves. The act also sought to improve the working conditions of slaves, hoping to discourage the idea of another rebellion.

Effect of Slave Trade and Exploitation of black women

Slavery had a significant impact on the slave families; it inhibited family formation making the stability and security in a family impossible. Enslaved families lived with the perpetual possibility of separation through the sale of one of their family members. Similarly, when their owner died, the slaves were divided for an inheritance; this means that these families lived in constant fear of separation. Consequently, it led to broken traditions. African family traditions, which varied according to a place of origin and religion, could not be replicated in the new world after slavery. Similarly, since the slaves were considered property, they could not legally marry. They had no right to stay together nor the right to their children. It led to broken marriages.

Enslaved women endured unbearable hardships at the hands of their masters. They were regularly raped or forced to perform heavy chores when expectant. It led to many women losing their unborn babies. Similarly, the exploitation of these women brought untold suffering to their families. Continually, the slave owners would rape women in front of their husbands and children to establish dominance and assert their submission. It brought a lot of physical and emotional pain to these slave families. Similarly, enslaved women were not given proper health care during delivery, and hence many lost their children.