Life (and death) on the

Middle Passage
Transporting the slaves to the New World

Learning objective

To investigate the logisitics of the Middle

Passage and to examine the impact of the
passage on the slaves

Success
Criteria:
What are
you aiming
to achieve
this lesson?

Demonstrate an
understanding of
the impact of the
Middle Passage
on the slaves
and to establish
the key features
of the passage to
America

Be able to
explain why
one of the two
methods
would be
better for the
slave owners
Be able to list
the
advantages
and
disadvantages
of Loose/Tight
Pack

Starter

What can we remember about the Slave

Trade from last year?

Key Terms
Write these terms in your jotters
Loose Pack
Tight Pack
As we go through the lesson, you will have
the opportunity to write out a definition of
these terms

Information
1 think
Can you
of any
advantages to
these
Advantages
Disadvantages
methods? Can
you think of
You had a lot more
any
They could put them in slaves in the hold so
disadvantage
Tightwhich
Pack meant you were able to make
More would die
Tight Pack
cramming the slaves intomore money from the
s?
Slavers made money for
each slave they took to
the markets in the
Method
Caribbean.
They had to
make a decision about
how to pack the slaves
into their holds.

a hold that was only five

feet high with a shelf to
take even more.

survivors

They could
Loose put
Packthem in
loose pack. This was
where slaves had more
space, space to lie down
and move around

Fewer died

You had less to start

with so there could be
less profit in the trip

the Caribbean.
They had to make
a decision about
how to pack the
slaves into their
holds.

Individual work
Use the
information
opposite to
define the
terms Tight
Pack and Loose
Pack in your
jotters

They could put

them in Tight
Pack which
meant cramming
the slaves into a
hold that was
only five feet
high with a shelf
to take even
more.

Look at this picture

Which method does
it show?
Why do you think it
was produced?
Does this make it
more or less
trustworthy?

A
The stench of the hold, the
heat and the crowding,
which meant that each ahd
scarcely room to turn,
almost suffocated us. There
was sickness among the
slaves of which many died.
Things were worse because
of the rubbing of the chains
and the filth of the lavatory
buckets into which children
often fell. I became so sick
that, because I was a
young boy, my chains were
removed and I was allowed
to stay on deck.
By Olaudah Equiano who
was captured in Africa and
taken to the West Indies

We chain the men two by

two when they come
aboard. We feed them
twice a day, at ten in the
morning and four in the
evening. We feed them
mainly maize ground into a
porridge, but three times a
week we give them boiled
horse-beans which they
like. This helps against
disease because it seems
to cure the dysentery and
prevent the flux. These
often ruin voyages through
deaths. We also dance
them for an hour or two to
bagpies, harp and fiddle for
exercise to help their
health

Once the ship was out at

sea, slaves were brought
up on deck, usually a few
at a time, to be fed and for
exercise. Those who would
not exercise on deck to
keep fit were whipped. The
crew often mistreated the
slaves especially the
women. Many slaves died
on the Middle Passage from
diseases, sickness, harsh
treatment and poor food.
So did many of the crew.
We dont know how many
slaves died but it seems
likely that about 15% died.
Some managed to lose no
slaves!

T. Phillips who was a slave

From an modern textbook
ship
captain
Find three quotes which
show
mistreatment of the slaves on the

Middle Passage
Find two quotes which show that the slaves were treated in such a
way as to ensure they survived

The stench of the hold, the heat

and the crowding, which meant
that each ahd scarcely room to
turn, almost suffocated us. There
was sickness among the slaves of
which many died. Things were
worse because of the rubbing of
the chains and the filth of the
lavatory buckets into which
children often fell. I became so
sick that, because I was a young
boy, my chains were removed
and I was allowed to stay on
deck.
By Olaudah Equiano who was
captured in Africa and taken to
the West Indies

Look again at source A

How trustworthy is this source?
Find three reasons why this
source could be trusted by the
historian.
Find one reason why this source
might not be trusted.
Remember to answer in full
sentences

We chain the men two by

two when they come
aboard. We feed them
twice a day, at ten in the
morning and four in the
evening. We feed them
mainly maize ground into a
porridge, but three times a
week we give them boiled
horse-beans which they
like. This helps against
disease because it seems
to cure the dysentery and
prevent the flux. These
often ruin voyages through
deaths. We also dance
them for an hour or two to
bagpies, harp and fiddle for
exercise to help their
health

Once the ship was out at

sea, slaves were brought
up on deck, usually a few
at a time, to be fed and for
exercise. Those who would
not exercise on deck to
keep fit were whipped. The
crew often mistreated the
slaves especially the
women. Many slaves died
on the Middle Passage from
diseases, sickness, harsh
treatment and poor food.
So did many of the crew.
We dont know how many
slaves died but it seems
likely that about 15% died.
Some managed to lose no
slaves!

T. Phillips who was a slave

From an modern textbook
shipLook
captain
again at Source B and C

Find three things that they agree on

Find one thing that they disagree on

Success
Criteria:
What are
you aiming
to achieve
this lesson?

Demonstrate an
understanding of
the impact of the
Middle Passage
on the slaves
and to establish
the key features
of the passage to
America

Be able to
explain why
one of the two
methods
would be
better for the
slave owners
Be able to list
the
advantages
and
disadvantages
of Loose/Tight
Pack

plenary

Imagine you were a captain of a slave ship,

which method would you choose and why?
Use key information that you have learned
during this lesson