Describe some of the illnesses that Africans faced on the Middle Passage journey.

During the Middle Passage, which was the transport of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, the individuals on these ships faced numerous devastating illnesses. The conditions on the slave ships were horrific, with individuals closely packed together, often chained, with minimal sanitation, which facilitated the spread of disease. Some of the illnesses that were commonly faced included:

1. Dysentery: Caused by poor sanitary conditions leading to infections of the intestines, resulting in severe diarrhea with blood.

2. Smallpox: A highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and a distinctive skin rash, often leading to scarring or death.

3. Malaria: A disease transmitted by mosquitoes causing fever, chills, and anemia, which was especially dangerous due to the poor health condition of the enslaved individuals.

4. Yellow fever: Another mosquito-borne disease that causes fever, chills, severe headache, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), and often fatal outcomes.

5. Scurvy: Due to a lack of vitamin C on the long voyages, many suffered from this disease, which resulted in swollen, bleeding gums, and the reopening of previously healed wounds.

6. Measles: A highly contagious virus that spreads easily where people are in close contact, which could have devastating effects on those with weakened immune systems on slave ships.

7. Tuberculosis: A bacterial infection affecting the lungs, often spread in close quarters like those found on slave ships, leading to long-term illness and death.

These illnesses led to high mortality rates on the Middle Passage voyages, with estimates of death rates ranging from 10 to 20 percent or higher.

Extra: Understanding the Middle Passage is essential when learning about the history of the Atlantic slave trade. Not only were the conditions abhorrent due to overcrowding, malnutrition, and abuse, but the combination of stress, poor hygiene, and lack of proper medical care made the journey a living nightmare for those on board. Many enslaved Africans did not survive the journey, while others arrived in the Americas with their health severely compromised.

The overcrowded and unsanitary environment in which enslaved Africans were kept on slave ships created an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. The spread of illness was difficult to control and the understanding of disease was limited at that time, with no real medical treatments available to those who became ill.

Furthermore, the psychological trauma faced by enslaved Africans cannot be overstated. The stress and despair likely worsened their physical health and made them more susceptible to disease.

The impact of these conditions continued beyond the Middle Passage; for those who survived, the lasting health effects of the journey, as well as the challenging and oppressive conditions of enslavement, affected their longevity and quality of life in the Americas. The Middle Passage is a stark reminder of the brutal reality of the slave trade and the extensive suffering it caused.