Examples Of How Slaves Were Treated During The Transatlantic Slave Trade

These three narratives all shared a common theme on how slaves were treated during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It was an awful experience for anyone during this time period as people were treated as animals. In the first narrative by John Barbot, he explained how slaves were usually prisoners of war or sold by their own countrymen. In times of great famine people would even sell themselves to prevent starving to death. He explained how the slave trade was a business for kings, and rich men. Slaves were fed and nourished to preserve them for longer years of work and service. Slaves who wouldn’t eat, were punished with hot coals. Barbot also explains how slaves were worried about rumors of flesh eating Europeans. This rumor often resulted in some slave revolts. I believe this narrative
Slaves were typically checked for bad teeth and eyes, as well as diseases. Slaves of all ages were purchased by large quantities. Falconbridge describes the transportation of slaves aboard ships as horrid. Large chains were attached to slaves, as they were lied down to make room for large amounts of people. Slaves were generally on fed twice a day with simple diets. Seasickness effected the slaves, resulting in death sometimes as travel was tough. The conditions of the places on the ship where the slaves stayed, were describes as unsanitary. The origins of institution of slavery can be traced back as far a 1800 B.C, in ancient Mesopotamia. Muslim slave traders introduced slavery to Europeans, as they saw it as a way to gain more wealth. During the 16th and 17th centuries Europeans brought slaves from Africa to America for hard labor purposes. Harsh conditions and travel was a life that slaves would get used to. Africans would even trade their own people for goods they wanted. Overall the institution of slavery was wrong, and caused a lot of