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Middle Passage

Definition

The Middle Passage refers to the part of the trade where Africans, densely packed onto ships, were transported across the Atlantic to the West Indies.

Analogy

Think of it like a horrifying road trip. Instead of a family-packed car on a long journey with occasional stops for food and restrooms, imagine being forcibly crammed into an overcrowded vehicle with no stops or basic amenities for weeks or even months. This gives you an idea of how brutal and inhumane conditions were during the Middle Passage.

Related terms

Transatlantic Slave Trade: This was a trading system where slaves, crops, and manufactured goods were traded between Africa, the Caribbean, and American colonies.

Triangular Trade: A multilateral system of trading in which a country pays for its imports from one country by its exports to another. In context of Atlantic World history, it often refers to the network connecting Europe (exporting manufactured goods), Africa (exporting slaves in this case), and Americas (exporting raw materials).

Chattel Slavery: This is a form of slavery where people are treated as personal property that can be bought, sold or gifted like any other commodity. It was prevalent during transatlantic slave trade era.