Middle Passage

Definition

The forced sea voyage that carried enslaved Africans from the African coast to the Americas, the middle leg of the triangular model. Crossings could last from several weeks to a few months, depending on winds and routes, and conditions aboard were crowded and dangerous. The gap of roughly 1.8 million between the 12.5 million embarked and 10.7 million survivors in the database figures is a reminder of its human cost. See also: Atlantic slave trade, forced migration, and the guide Understanding the Three Legs of the Atlantic Trade.