Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
The Middle Passage
Using three of the following sources, describe how
slaves were treated during their journey from
Africa to the Americas, otherwise known as the
Middle Passage.
What is a DBQ?
- The term “DBQ” stands for Document-Based
Question
- It is designed to test your ability to analyze primary
and secondary historical documents, and use your
analysis to answer a specific question.
- Your DBQ should be comprised of five paragraphs; an
Introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
General Steps to Writing the DBQ
1. Reread your notes and handouts having to do with the topic of the DBQ. This
will help you remember important facts, dates and events.
2. Read the DBQ question CAREFULLY!
3. Read each document carefully. For each document, understand a) the main
point of the document, and b) the perspective of the document.
4. YOU MUST USE BOTH THE DOCUMENTS AND PRIOR KNOWLEDGE IN
YOUR
ESSAY.
5. Each body paragraph needs to use one document. The evidence from the
documents must be specifically cited AND explained in your paper. For example
write “I have been informed by some commanders that... ” (Document 2).
NOTICE THE PERIOD GOES AFTER THE CITATION!
Do’s and Do Not’s
1. DO make sure you explain the significance of every quote or paraphrase you
include in your essay.
2. DO NOT use ridiculously long quotes. In fact, use quotes sparingly.
3. DO use a variety of documents in your argument. (Don’t use the same one 3
times)
4. DO NOT quote secondary sources in your essay.
5. Do NOT use the following words or forms of these words in your essay: I, me,
my, us,
our, you, we, etc, quote
6. DO use FORMAL writing
Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source A
This picture is of the Slave Ship Brookes. It was built to accommodate 451 persons
but at times held over 600. A British parliament committee deciding on how to
regulate the slave trade used the source. In 1788, the Plymouth Chapter of the
Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade published and distributed this
diagram depicting the conditions on board the slave ship Brookes.
1. This document best supports which treatment type? ______________________
Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source A
2. What is the main idea of this document? (Explain/Summarize the document)
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3. How does this document help you answer the essential question?
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Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source B
Thomas Phillips, a slave-ship captain, wrote an account of his activities in A Journal of
a Voyage (1746)
I have been informed that some commanders have cut off the legs
or arms of the most willful slaves, to terrify the rest, for they
believe that, if they lose a member, they cannot return home again:
I was advised by some of my officers to do the same, but I could
not be persuaded to entertain the least thought of it, much less to
put in practice such barbarity and cruelty to poor creatures who,
excepting their want of Christianity and true religion (their
misfortune more than fault), are as much the works of God's hands,
and no doubt as dear to him as ourselves.
1. This document best supports which treatment type? _______________________
Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source B
2. What is the main idea of this document? (Explain/Summarize the document)
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3. How does this document help you answer the essential question?
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Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source C
Dr. Thomas Trotter, a physician working on the slave-ship, Brookes. When a House of
Commons (British Parliament) committee was investigating the slave trade in 1790,
they interviewed Trotter. This is how he replied when he was asked if the "slaves
had room to turn themselves.”
No. The slaves that are out of irons are locked "spoonways"" and
locked to one another. It is the duty of the first mate to see them
stowed in this manner every morning; those which do not get quickly
into their places are compelled by the cat and, such was the
situation when stowed in this manner, and when the ship had much
motion at sea, they were often miserably bruised against the deck
or against each other. I have seen their breasts heaving and
observed them draw their breath, with all those laborious and
anxious efforts for life which we observe in expiring animals
subjected by experiment to bad air of various kinds.
1. This document best supports which treatment type? _______________________
Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source C
2. What is the main idea of this document? (Explain/Summarize the document)
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3. How does this document help you answer the essential question?
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Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source D
Zamba Zembola, was the son of a king of a small community in the Congo, When he
was in his early twenties he was invited by a Captain to accompany him to America on
his slave ship. After arriving in America, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave). He
later wrote and published his autobiography in 1849, The Life and Adventures of
Zamba and African Slave.
After being about 15 days out to sea a heavy squall struck the ship.
The poor slaves below, altogether unprepared for such an
occurrence, were mostly thrown to the side, where they lay heaped
on the top of each other; their fetters rendered many of them
helpless, and before they could be arranged in their proper places,
and relieved from their pressure on each other, it was found that 15
of them were smothered or crushed to death. The captain seemed
considerably vexed; but the only grievance to him was the sudden
loss of some five or six thousand dollars.
1. This document best supports which treatment type? _______________________
Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source D
2. What is the main idea of this document? (Explain/Summarize the document)
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3. How does this document help you answer the essential question?
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Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source E
Olaudah Equiano, was captured and sold as a slave. Olaudah Equiano, was captured and
sold as a slave. He later earned his freedom, and wrote his memoir which was
published in 1789, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or
Gustavus Vassa, the African.
I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a
greeting in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life; so that,
with the loathsomeness of the stench, and crying together, I became so
sick and low that I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to
taste anything. I now wished for the last friend, death, to relieve me; but
soon, to my grief, two of the white men offered me eatables; and, on my
refusing to eat, one of them held me fast by the hands, and laid me
across, I think, the windlass, and tied my feet, while the other flogged
me severely…..The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate,
added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had
scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us.
The air soon
became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and
brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died.
The
wretched
now
situation
was
again
aggravated
by
the
chains,
unsupportable, and the filth of the necessary tubs, into which the
children often fell, and were almost suffocated.
The shrieks of the
women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole scene of horror
almost inconceivable.
1. This document best supports which treatment type? _______________________
Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source E
2. What is the main idea of this document? (Explain/Summarize the document)
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3. How does this document help you answer the essential question?
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Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source F
Ottobah Cugoano, a slave, wrote in his Narrative of the Enslavement of a Native of
Africa in 1787,
“…And when we found ourselves at last taken away, death was more
preferable than life; and a plan was concerted amongst us, that we
might burn and blow up the ship, and to perish all together in the
flames: but we were betrayed by one of our own countrywomen, who
slept with some of the headmen of the ship, for it was common for
the dirty filthy sailors to take the African women and lie upon their
bodies; but the men were chained and pent up in holes…”
1. This document best supports which treatment type? _______________________
Essential Question: How were slaves treated during their journey on the Middle Passage?
Source F
2. What is the main idea of this document? (Explain/Summarize the document)
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3. How does this document help you answer the essential question?
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