The Middle Passage.

The triangular trade of transatlantic slavery between Europe, Africa and the Americas was a horrific one. The so called Middle Passage was the part of this journey that took the slaves from Africa to the Americas. It was a long and horrendous trip. It could take over 4 months and numbers of around 400 slaves would be cruelly squashed aboard ships. It was not unusual if up to half never made the journey. Over 11 million Africans were forced to leave their homes in this way. What is especially interesting to find out is that the slaves were not caught by the European traders themselves. In fact other Africans did this and sold them on. it really is an example that humanity has the ability throughout cultures to put greed at the forefront and to ignore any other values. 

Here you can see a European trader buying a slave from an African King.

It should also be noted that the trade partnership between the White Europeans and the Africans was not always an even one.

The overhead picture above and the cross section below show just how terrible the conditions would have been.

Joseph Peace told his story on the trip. He was forced from his home to get onto a ship. He saw many die of disease and some became so shocked and fearful that that starved themselves to death. He did not and endured the filthy and violent conditions. He was taken to Jamaica, where he was sold and branded as the property of his sugar plantation owner. He finally escaped from slavery when he was 26 and wrote his story. He told of the conditions on the plantations, the punishments for the most minor of things and the death sentence given to repeated runaway slaves. He tells of the three children he had that never made the age of three and the others who were sold as slaves, never to be seen again.

This painting of life on a slave ship was done by a British naval officer in 1818.

Once off the ship the sale began. slaves were hosed down to wash of the filth of the journey. IN some cases rope was stuck up the slaves backsides to stop the diarrhoea from running down their legs and making them unable to be sold. It is hard to imagine what went through these peoples minds as they went through this indignity. The drawing below is a primary source from one such auction.

I think you would agree that this has certainly been painted to make the whole process look more 'civilized'.