week 11 assignment history (1)

8/12/2019 Week 11 Assignment History (1)

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Annwareen Ramdin

Caribbean History

Professor Edwards

Assignment 11

July 10, 2011

1. During the slave trade most slaves were sent to the continent of South America and the

majorities were sent to the country of Brazil.

2. The middle passage was the route used to transport blacks to the Americas by slave ships.

It became known as the Middle Passage because it was the middle leg of the Triangular

Trade used by the European traders. The African slaves were viewed as cargo by the

traders and were packed into the ships with no regard to their basic human rights. Slave

ships could be either 'tight pack' or 'loose pack'. A 'tight pack' could hold many more

slaves than the 'loose pack' because the amount of space allocated to each slave was

considerably less, but more slaves would die on route to the Americas. Many slaves

became seasick, developed diarrhea and contracted other diseases because of their

travelling conditions. Unable to move because they were chained into their positions by

shackles, the slave's deck became a putrid mass of human excretion. Slaves, who had

developed sores where their chains had rubbed their skin, had festering wounds often

with maggots eating away their flesh. Conditions on the slave ships were so bad that

many slaves decided they would prefer to die and tried to starve themselves by refusing


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to eat or by jumping overboard. However, slaves that would not eat were whipped or

force fed and the traders and ship owners began fixing nets to the sides of the boat so that

the slaves could not jump overboard. Slaves had no choice but to endure the horrific

conditions. Suicide was the only option for the Africans.

3. Field Workers

A field slave was not an easy task. A field slave worked from sunrise to sunset. A field

slave was out in the field when the first sign of light shone until it was too dark to see.

Women field workers worked the same hours as men. Pregnant women were expected to

work until the child was born, and after the child's birth the woman worked in the field

with the child on her back. The field slaves were driven all day long by a white overseer

with a whip. At about the age of twelve a child's work became almost the same as an

adult's. Slaves got Sundays off . A field worker's day was filled with hard work.

House Slaves

Most house slaves were living under better conditions than field workers. However,

house slaves did not get Sunday off and usually attended church with the master and

mistress and carried their personal belongings. House slaves cleaned, cooked, served

meals, and took care of the children. Some house slaves lived in attics, closets, or corners

in the big house even if their families lived in the quarters. A cook's day was long and

hard. A cook got up early in the morning to cook breakfast, and the day ended with

cleaning up after dinner and gathering firewood for the next day. These slaves sometimes

stole food from the owner because they were not fed. A house slave had a better

opportunity to learn how to read and write. They often listened in on their owner's


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week 11 assignment history (1)

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