Question

What did ships transport on the "middle passage"?

Answer 1

The "Middle Passage" refers to the transatlantic journey that ships undertook to transport enslaved Africans to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade. Enslaved people were the primary cargo on these voyages. Conditions on the ships were horrific, with overcrowding, inadequate food, and unsanitary conditions leading to high mortality rates. In addition to enslaved individuals, ships might also carry goods such as sugar, tobacco, and other commodities produced in the Americas back to Europe, but the key focus of the Middle Passage was the forced transport of enslaved Africans.