Slavery in America
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Tiana Easton
2/27/04
Prof. Wilburn
Slavery in America: The Middle Passage
The Middle Passage was the journey of the slaves trading ships from the west coast of Africa, where slaves were obtained across the Atlantic, where they were sold or, in most cases, traded for goods. It was called the Middle Passage because it was the middle leg of a three-part voyage, a voyage that began and ended in Europe. The first leg of the voyage carried a cargo that often included iron, cloth, brandy, firearms, and gunpowder. Upon landing on Africa's "slave coast," the cargo was exchanged for Africans. Fully loaded with its human cargo, the ship set sail for the Americas, where the slaves were exchanged for sugar, tobacco, or some other product. The final leg brought the ship back to Europe The voyage would last, at the least five weeks and sometimes as long as three months.
The Middle Passage across the Atlantic became the essential part of a system of trading routes between Europe, Africa and North America. The slaves had became the number one reason for the trade on the Middle Passage. The trade of goods along this route became known as the triangular trade...