Assignment 1.3 Slave ships & markets
Slave ships
Slave ships spent several months travelling to different parts of the coast, buying their cargo. The slaves were often in poor health from the physical and mental abuse they had suffered. They were taken on board, stripped naked and examined from head to toe by the captain or surgeon.
The conditions on a slave ship were horrible. The men were packed together below deck and were secured by leg irons. The space was so cramped they were forced to crouch or lie down. Women and children were kept in separate quarters, sometimes on the deck, allowing them limited freedom of movement. This also exposed them to violence and sexual abuse from the crew.
Seasickness was common and the heat was oppressive. The lack of sanitation and suffocating conditions meant there was a constant threat of disease. Epidemics of fever and smallpox were frequent. Slaves endured these conditions for about two months, sometimes even longer.
In good weather the slaveswere were brought on deck in the morning and forced to exercise. They were fed twice a day and those refusing to eat were force-fed. Those who died were thrown overboard.
The conditions on a slave ship were horrible. The men were packed together below deck and were secured by leg irons. The space was so cramped they were forced to crouch or lie down. Women and children were kept in separate quarters, sometimes on the deck, allowing them limited freedom of movement. This also exposed them to violence and sexual abuse from the crew.
Seasickness was common and the heat was oppressive. The lack of sanitation and suffocating conditions meant there was a constant threat of disease. Epidemics of fever and smallpox were frequent. Slaves endured these conditions for about two months, sometimes even longer.
In good weather the slaveswere were brought on deck in the morning and forced to exercise. They were fed twice a day and those refusing to eat were force-fed. Those who died were thrown overboard.
Slave markets
When the slave ships reached America, the slaves were off-loaded and sold on slave markets. Slaves were sold, by auction, to the person that bid the most money for them. It was here that family members would find themselves separate, as a bidder might not want to buy the whole family, but only the strongest and healthiest member.
Slave auctions were advertised when it was known that a slave ship was arriving soon. When the slave ship docked, the slaves would be taken off the ship and placed in a pen like the one in the picture. There they would be washed and their skin would also be covered with grease, or sometimes tar, to make them look healthier. This was done so that they would fetch as much money as possible. They would also be branded with a hot iron to identify them as slaves.
There were two main types of slave auctions:
1. Those that were sold to the highest bidder
2. Grab and go Auctions
"Sold! to the highest bidder"
The slaves had to stand on a raised platform so that they could be seen by the buyers. Before the bidding began, those that wished to, could come up onto the platform to inspect the slaves closely. The slaves had to endure being poked and forced to open their mouths for the buyers.
The auctioneer would decide a price to start the bidding. This would be higher for fit, young slaves and lower for older, very young or sickly slaves. Potential buyers would then bid against each other. The person who bid the most would become the owner of that slave.
The 'Grab and Go' Auction
The people who wanted to buy a slave on the day of the auction would pay the trader an agreed amount of money. The trader would then give them a ticket for each slave that they had bought. At the sound of a drum roll, the door to a cage would be opened and the buyers would rush in and grab the slave or slaves that they wanted. The buyers then checked their slaves out by returning their ticket or tickets to the slave trader.
The slave auction was a terrible experience for slaves because they did not understand the language and had no idea what was happening.
Now go to assignment 1.3.
Slave auctions were advertised when it was known that a slave ship was arriving soon. When the slave ship docked, the slaves would be taken off the ship and placed in a pen like the one in the picture. There they would be washed and their skin would also be covered with grease, or sometimes tar, to make them look healthier. This was done so that they would fetch as much money as possible. They would also be branded with a hot iron to identify them as slaves.
There were two main types of slave auctions:
1. Those that were sold to the highest bidder
2. Grab and go Auctions
"Sold! to the highest bidder"
The slaves had to stand on a raised platform so that they could be seen by the buyers. Before the bidding began, those that wished to, could come up onto the platform to inspect the slaves closely. The slaves had to endure being poked and forced to open their mouths for the buyers.
The auctioneer would decide a price to start the bidding. This would be higher for fit, young slaves and lower for older, very young or sickly slaves. Potential buyers would then bid against each other. The person who bid the most would become the owner of that slave.
The 'Grab and Go' Auction
The people who wanted to buy a slave on the day of the auction would pay the trader an agreed amount of money. The trader would then give them a ticket for each slave that they had bought. At the sound of a drum roll, the door to a cage would be opened and the buyers would rush in and grab the slave or slaves that they wanted. The buyers then checked their slaves out by returning their ticket or tickets to the slave trader.
The slave auction was a terrible experience for slaves because they did not understand the language and had no idea what was happening.
Now go to assignment 1.3.