Interpreting Primary Sources to Address Historical Memory

 Interpreting Primary Sources to Address Historical Memory

The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage involved the transportation of slaves from different African countries to European countries. The slaves were kidnapped from different countries and transported on one ship to a specific destination, where they were displayed and sold to European slave traders, who then sold them to their masters. African slave traders served as the middlemen between the masters and the European traders. They brought the slaves to the trade fairs, which were held at a specific time, generally after every six weeks (Falconbridge 1). The black traders who dominated the slave trade included kings, the wealthy, and prime merchants. They specialized in selling slaves, captured prisoners of war taken either in pursuit, fighting, or attacking enemy territories and men, women, and children stolen by their countrymen (Barbot 1). However, in some cases, the black slave traders could also sell their children and neighbors. The European slave traders, on the other hand, only sold African slaves to White masters from different parts, including the Caribbean and Maryland.

Although all slaves experienced torture and inhumane treatment when being transported to the trade fairs, not all slaves persevered to get to their destination. Some slaves tried to throw themselves into the sea to either die or escape, and others refused to eat, hoping that they would starve to death. Some slaves also tried mobilizing other slaves to revolt against their capturers, hoping that they would escape by killing the capturers. For instance, in one revolt, the slaves managed to break their shackles and attack the boatswain cook, forcing the other people in charge of guarding the slaves to fire to wound as many as they could and stop the revolt (Barbot 1). Upon getting to their destination, the slaves sold by European slave traders and black traders had a different encounter. For instance, the slaves sold to the black traders were marked with a red-hot iron on their breast to imprint them with a market of the English, French, or Dutch companies purchasing them. The English slave traders, on the other hand, did not mark their slaves and were focused on ensuring that the slaves got to their masters unharmed.

Enslaved people encountered different experiences when their masters purchased them. For example, slaves purchased by black masters were treated barbarously by being beaten inhumanely. They were also denied proper clothing and were expected to take off the clothes when sold to the Europeans. Enslaved people sold to European masters, on the other hand, only experienced hard manual labor but were not tortured by their masters. They were also allowed to purchase their freedom. For example, Olaudah Equiano bought his freedom and began working on a slave ship (Equiano 1). Ayuba Suleiman also became a free man after his father purchased his freedom (Bluett 1). However, the slaves could not buy their freedom if the master declined to free them.

In conclusion, the Middle Passage is remembered for the torture and hardships that the slaves experienced during transportation to the trade fairs and under their masters’ control. The passage is also remembered as one of the darkest events in history because many slaves lost their lives and were separated from their families. The event is also remembered for giving some slaves who could purchase their freedom a chance to improve their lives. Therefore, the perception that people have about the event is influenced by whether they focus on the dark side of the event or the bright side, which included creating opportunities for Africans to create a good life in European countries after purchasing their freedom and pushing free slaves to fight for the freedom of other slaves.

Works Cited

Barbot, John. “A Description of the Coasts of North and South Guinea.” Collection of Voyages and Travels, 1732, wellcomecollection.org/works/xpr7gpz3.

Barbot, John. “Premeditated Revolt.” A Supplement to the Description of the Coasts of North and South Guinea, 1732, wellcomecollection.org/works/xpr7gpz3.

Bluett, Thomas. Some Memoirs of the Life of Job, the Son of Solomon, 1734, docsouth.unc.edu/neh/bluett/menu.html.

Equiano, Olaudah. “Excerpt from the Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.” Summary of the Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself. Vol. i., docsouth.unc.edu/neh/equiano1/summary.html. Accessed 31 Jan. 2024.

Falconbridge, Alexander. “An Account of the Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa.” Omeka RSS, 1788, collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/items/show/18009.

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Using these sources, you will reconstruct your narrative of the Middle Passage, along with its origin and scope. Think about how the various perspectives compare and compete with one another. Think about how two people can experience the same event but differ when it comes to experience and how the event is remembered.

Module Essay – Interpreting Primary Sources to Address Historical Memory

One question I always ask going into interpreting raw data is “What are the sources trying to tell me? What are they not saying?” How does each writer approach their individual experience of the slave trade? I am looking for your interpretation of these sources.