Does the 'Middle Passage' deserve its awful reputation? Source 1

Diagram showing how slaves could be accommodated aboard a slave ship and the accompanying explanation. Taken from Thomas Clarkson, The history of the rise, progress and accomplishment of the abolition of the African slave-trade, London, 1808.

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Your task is to determine just how awful conditions were aboard the slave ships.All the sources have been chosen to help you in this task. Once you have read the source and thought about the things to consider, you might find it helpful to make some notes on the worksheet.

Things to consider...

Do you think that the space allowance made for each man, woman and child is sufficient? (You could try measuring people in your class or at home to see how much space you think each person might need.)

What does the report say hasn't been taken into consideration when showing the layout of slaves? What impact would this have on living conditions?

Does William Dolben's Act seem like a good thing or a bad thing? Why?

The illustration of the slave ship was used as propaganda by the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Do you think it would have worked? What impact do you think it would have made?