Abolition of slavery (1)

3: Conditions onboard

Required Resources

• Slides 10-12

Delivery

• Display Slides 10-12 which focus specifically on the conditions on-board slave ships. Students should be reminded of the duration of time enslaved Africans would be forced to survive in these conditions.
• Remind students that the slave traders were driven by financial gain and that the more enslaved Africans they crammed into their vessels, the more money they would receive from purchasers. Enslaved Africans were seen as commodities and not people.
• Now clear space in the classroom and mark out an area that is equivalent to the amount of space afforded to enslaved Africans. Ask students to populate this space with the same number of people as would have occupied a similar space on a typical slave ship. For dimensions for this activity, refer to the quote by Thomas Fowell Buxton on Slide 11 or the details noted on Slide 12.
• Students should be encouraged to think about the toll on the enslaved Africans as they were forced to embark on this journey. Disease being spread as a result of being packed so tightly together, malnutrition, exhaustion and fear / anger at being separated from their loved ones.