Roots: The Middle Passage | History

HISTORY

24 Feb 201702:35

Summary

TLDRThis video script delves into the brutal reality of Atlantic slavery, contrasting it with African slavery by highlighting the racial component introduced by Europeans. It details the Middle Passage, a harrowing journey from Africa to America where enslaved individuals were tightly packed in inhumane conditions, enduring unimaginable suffering. The script paints a vivid picture of the physical and psychological trauma, with the ship's low ceiling, the stench of death, and the desperate attempts at rebellion. It underscores the profound disorientation and fear experienced by those forcibly taken from their homes, with historians struggling to fully convey the depth of this traumatic experience.

Takeaways

🌍 The distinction between African slavery and Atlantic slavery was the concept of race, with Europeans creating a system based on the notion that certain people were inherently enslavable.
🚢 The Middle Passage was a critical part of the triangular trade route, involving the transportation of approximately 12.5 million people from Africa to the Americas.
📊 The journey from Africa to America, known as the Middle Passage, could last between 2 to 3 months under harsh and inhumane conditions.
👥 Men and women were separated, with men typically confined to the lower decks where the ceiling was only about 4 feet high, making it impossible to stand.
🔗 African men were shackled together and packed closely in a spoon-like position for the duration of the journey, which could involve hundreds of people.
🌡️ The conditions were extremely challenging, with high temperatures, terrible smells, and the constant presence of death, making it a traumatic experience for all on board.
🤝 There were instances, though infrequent, where enslaved individuals attempted to revolt, aiming to kill the crew or change the course of the ship.
📚 Historians face significant challenges in fully capturing the emotional and psychological impact of the Middle Passage on those who experienced it.
🌀 The Middle Passage was a disorienting and uncertain voyage, with enslaved individuals having no idea what awaited them at their destination.
🎶 The script ends with a poignant reminder of the forced displacement and the loss of home and family that enslaved individuals had to endure.

Q & A

What is the primary distinction between slavery in Africa and Atlantic slavery?
-The primary distinction is race. Europeans established a system of slavery based on the idea that certain people were inherently enslavable.
What is the 'Middle Passage' in the context of the Atlantic slave trade?
-The Middle Passage refers to the middle leg of a triangular trade route, which was the journey from Africa to America, involving the forced transportation of enslaved Africans.
How many people were estimated to have been removed from the African continent during the Middle Passage?
-Approximately 12.5 million people were removed from the African continent during the Middle Passage.
What were the three passages of the triangular trade route?
-The three passages were: 1) from Europe to Africa, 2) from Africa to America (the Middle Passage), and 3) from America back to Europe.
How long did the Middle Passage typically take?
-The Middle Passage could take anywhere from 2 to 3 months, depending on various factors.
What were the conditions like for the enslaved people during the Middle Passage?
-Enslaved people were subjected to extremely cramped and unsanitary conditions, with men and women separated and men often held in the lower belly of the ship. They were shackled together and packed closely in a spoon-like position, unable to stand due to the low ceiling.
What was the approximate height of the roof in the area where African men were held during the Middle Passage?
-The roof was quite low, probably about 4 feet high.
What was the approximate mortality rate during the Middle Passage?
-It is estimated that about 10% of the enslaved people died during the Middle Passage.
Were there any attempts by the enslaved to resist or change their circumstances during the Middle Passage?
-Yes, there were attempts to rise up, kill the crew, or try to turn the boat around to change their destinies, although these were not always successful.
Why is it difficult for historians to capture the experience of the Middle Passage?
-It is difficult because the Middle Passage was a deeply disorienting and traumatic experience, involving a voyage to an unknown destination with extreme conditions and the constant presence of death.
What does the phrase 'I know this ain't your home, but it's where you got to be' signify in the context of the script?
-This phrase signifies the harsh reality and forced adaptation that enslaved people had to face, acknowledging that their new situation was not their home but their current, inescapable reality.

Outlines

00:00

🚢 The Distinctive Features of the Middle Passage

This paragraph delves into the unique aspects of the Middle Passage, a critical leg of the transatlantic slave trade. It contrasts African slavery with the race-based system established by Europeans, who deemed certain individuals as 'enslavable.' The narrative describes the journey's duration, which could span 2 to 3 months, and the harsh conditions aboard the ships. Men were typically confined in the lower decks under extremely cramped and inhumane conditions, shackled together and forced to remain in a spoon-like position for the entirety of the voyage. The text also touches on the traumatic nature of the journey, with the smell of death and the attempts by some to revolt. Historians struggle to fully convey the disorientation and fear that the enslaved must have felt, as they were transported to an unknown fate.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Slavery

Slavery refers to the condition of being owned by someone, with no personal freedom or rights. In the context of the video, it highlights the brutal system where people were treated as property and exploited for labor. The script discusses the distinction between slavery in Africa and Atlantic slavery, emphasizing the racial component introduced by Europeans.

💡Race

Race, as used in the script, is a social construct that was historically used to categorize people and justify their enslavement. The video discusses how Europeans established a system of slavery predicated on the idea that certain racial groups were inherently enslavable, marking a significant difference between African and Atlantic slavery.

💡Middle Passage

The Middle Passage was the leg of the triangular trade route where enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas. The video provides a detailed account of the harrowing journey, which involved the removal of approximately 12.5 million people from Africa. It was a traumatic experience characterized by overcrowding, disease, and death.

💡Triangular Trade

The Triangular Trade refers to the three-legged trade route between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, which was central to the transatlantic slave trade. The video script outlines the three passages: from Europe to Africa, from Africa to America (the Middle Passage), and from America back to Europe.

💡Enslavable

Enslavable, as mentioned in the script, implies a group of people who were deemed fit for enslavement by Europeans based on racial prejudice. This term is crucial in understanding the racial bias that underpinned the Atlantic slave trade, where certain individuals were marked for enslavement.

💡Men and Women Separated

This phrase from the script describes the inhumane treatment of enslaved people during the Middle Passage, where families were torn apart. Men and women were kept in different parts of the ship, exacerbating the trauma and dehumanization they experienced.

💡Shackled

Shackled refers to the physical restraint of enslaved individuals, as mentioned in the script where African men were chained together during their journey. This term illustrates the brutal measures taken to control and subjugate the enslaved, highlighting the inescapable nature of their captivity.

💡Traumatic Experience

The script describes the Middle Passage as a 'traumatic experience' for those on board, emphasizing the psychological and physical torment they endured. The term captures the profound suffering and disorientation that characterized the journey, which was marked by disease, death, and the loss of freedom.

💡Disorienting

Disorienting, as used in the script, describes the feeling of confusion and loss of one's bearings that enslaved people experienced during the Middle Passage. It relates to the theme of the video by underscoring the uncertainty and fear that came with being forcibly removed from one's homeland and transported to an unknown fate.

💡Destinies

Destinies, in the context of the video, refers to the predetermined and often tragic futures of enslaved individuals. The script mentions attempts to change destinies, reflecting the desperate struggles of those enslaved to regain control over their lives and resist their forced enslavement.

💡Voyage

Voyage, as highlighted in the script, refers to the journey of the Middle Passage, which was not just a physical movement but also a profound transformation in the lives of those enslaved. The term is used to convey the enormity of the experience, as it involved not only a change in location but also a complete upheaval of identity and future.

Highlights

The distinction between African slavery and Atlantic slavery was based on race, with Europeans creating a system that deemed certain people as enslavable.

The middle passage is a term used to describe the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas.

Approximately 125 million people were removed from Africa during the transatlantic slave trade.

The middle passage was the second leg of a triangular trade route starting in Europe, going to Africa, then to America, and back to Europe.

The journey from Africa to America could take 2 to 3 months under harsh conditions.

Men and women were separated and confined in different parts of the ship.

African men were shackled and packed closely together in a spoon-like position for the entire journey.

The ship's lower belly was where men were typically held, with a low ceiling of about 4 feet high.

The conditions onboard were extremely cramped, with hundreds of people in a confined space.

The environment was unbearably hot, and the smell was terrible due to the close quarters and lack of sanitation.

Enslaved individuals faced the constant threat of death during the voyage.

There were instances where enslaved people attempted to revolt, trying to kill the crew or take control of the ship.

Historians struggle to fully capture the emotional and psychological impact of the middle passage on those enslaved.

The middle passage was a deeply disorienting experience, as individuals were taken to an unknown destination.

The trauma of the middle passage is difficult to articulate and comprehend fully.

The experience of the middle passage was one of forced displacement and separation from family and homeland.