The Passage

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

A system involving the transport of African captives to America, raw materials to Europe, and manufactured goods back to Africa.

Thingification

The act of reducing a person to an object, stripping them of their humanity.

Chattel Enslavement

Enslaved individuals treated as property, bought and sold.

King Buzzards

Souls of Africans who aided Europeans, believed to eternally wander after death.

Tight Packing

Loading ships with an excessive number of slaves to maximize profits, leading to high mortality rates.

Loose Packing

Loading ships with fewer slaves to reduce death rates; proven ineffective.

Breeding

Forced marriages among enslaved people to increase the slave population.

Seasoning Process

The adjustment period for newly enslaved individuals categorized into Creole, Old Africans, and New Africans.

Renaming

The practice of giving enslaved people new names, often Christian or Roman, as part of their seasoning.

Drivers

Black overseers responsible for managing enslaved work, often using whips.

Hierarchy and Race

A system developed with slavery that categorizes people based on physical traits for social and economic control.

European Imperial Ambitions

The justification for enslaving non-Christians and non-Europeans.

Methods of Acquisition

Ways in which enslaved individuals were captured, including war, crime, and debts.

March to the Coast

The journey enslaved individuals made, often 60-400 miles long, with a high death rate.

Holding Prisons (Barracoons)

Makeshift prisons where captives were held; 'prison' lacked a direct translation in many African languages.

Baptism and Branding

The process of forcibly converting enslaved individuals to Christianity and marking them with brands.

The Atlantic Crossing

The perilous sea journey where significant mortality rates occurred among enslaved Africans and crew members.

Fear of Cannibalism

A fear held by Africans that spurred escape attempts during the Atlantic Crossing.

Bonding Through Suffering

The formation of a shared identity among enslaved Africans through collective suffering and resistance.

Forms of Punishment

Methods used against enslaved individuals, including whippings, chaining, and severe corporal punishment.

Redefining Community

Establishing bonds among enslaved people that transcended blood relations based on shared experiences of abuse.

Social Stratification

The ranking of individuals based on race, heritage, and immigration status.

Mortality Rate During Middle Passage

5-20% of enslaved Africans did not survive the journey across the Atlantic.

Psychological Control

Techniques used to instill fear and maintain dominance over enslaved individuals.

African Diaspora

The spread of African people and culture globally due to the slave trade.

Forts

Large complexes built for holding captured Africans before transport.

Common Elements

Shared characteristics among slave narratives, including war captives and holding pens.

Old Africans

Enslaved individuals who were long-term residents in the Americas.

Creole

Enslaved individuals born in America.

New Africans

Recently arrived enslaved individuals, considered 'unbroken'.

Survival Rate Post-Seasoning

Only 25-33% of newly arrived Africans typically survived the seasoning process.

Concept of Race

Developed alongside slavery, categorizing individuals based on their physical attributes.

Etymology of 'Slave'

Derived from the Latin 'sclavus', referring to enslaved Europeans in ancient times.

Early Enslavement of Indigenous Peoples

Initial enslavement of Native Americans that declined due to disease and resistance.

Islamic Enslavement

Islamic individuals could not enslave other Muslims, reflecting religious prohibitions.

Pawns

Family members held as collateral during the delivery of war captives.

Common Elements in Slave Experiences

Shared trauma among enslaved individuals such as war, transport, and abuse in captivity.

African Identity in the Americas

Initially defined by cultural and linguistic ties rather than physical skin color.

Psychological Effects of Enslavement

The mental impacts of captivity and dehumanization faced by enslaved individuals.

Resistance Forms

Cultural and ideological resistance strategies employed by enslaved Africans.

Cultural Resistance

Maintaining African cultural traditions in the face of oppression and enslavement.

Legal Recognition of Marriage

Enslaved individuals' marriages were not legally recognized.

Measurement of Enslavement

Practices and systems used to quantify and manage enslaved populations.

Economic Foundations of Slavery

The role of slavery in establishing wealth and economic systems in the Americas.

Migrations of Enslaved Peoples

Patterns of movement and forced relocation within slavery systems.

Health Consequences of Enslavement

Long-term health effects faced by enslaved individuals due to poor conditions.

Community Networks Among Enslaved Individuals

The formation of non-familial networks for mutual support and survival.

Cultural Syncretism

The blending of African and European cultures arising from the slave experience.