Submitted by Tina L. Thomen

SLM: 521: Telecommunications & The Internet

October 13, 2005

Dropin #4

 

 

The Middle Passage

 

 

 

~ Introduction ~

 

 

Beginning in the 1500’s and continuing until the time of the Civil War, slave traders brutally transported millions of African men, women, and children across the Atlantic Ocean.   This transatlantic voyage infamously became known as The Middle Passage.  In our next unit, we will be studying several works of literature from the perspective of African slaves who survived, European colonialists, and African tribal leaders.  Our unit begins with an autobiographical excerpt written by Olaudah Equiano, born among the Ibo people living along the Niger River. Equiano dreamed about becoming an Ibo chief, just like his father before him.  In 1756, Equiano’s life forever changed when, as an 11-year-old boy, he was stolen from his family and sold into slavery.  

 

 

 ~Information for Today’s Activity ~

 

 

Today, we will analyze one writer’s interpretation of The Middle Passage.  Through his artwork, map and diagrams, Tom Feelings illustrates the conditions of slaves aboard a slave ship.  We will visit a website that has been dedicated in memory to Tom Feelings who had spent years honoring the millions who survived and the millions who perished during The Middle Passage. The background information that we will visually capture today supports recurring themes expressed in Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography.

 

 

~ Activity ~

 

 

  • Click on this link - The Middle Passage  - now and read through all the slides before proceeding any further.

 

  •  Then read the following questions.  Click on the smaller version of certain slides listed below to link back to the larger, higher-resolution slides from the website.

 

1.     Click on the map below.  First, summarize the triangular route system in one sentence.  Then, write 3 more sentences about your personal reactions to the arrows: How does this geographical depiction evoke an emotional response?

 

      MAP

 

 

 

 

2. Click on slide 6 below and study the picture again.  Tom Feelings graphically displays several images.  Choose one image from the slide.  Write 3 sentences from the point-of-view of that person to answer these questions:  What was your life like before this journey? What are you thinking now while on this ship? What do you predict about your future?

SLIDE # 6:  “Survival”

 

 

 

3.     Click on slide 10 below and study the picture.  Besides the geographical meaning of “middle,” consider multiple meanings for this word.  Write 2 sentences about additional possible meanings for “middle” as used within the context of The Middle Passage.

 

SLIDE # 10: “Ship’s Hull”       

 

 

4.     Click on last slide of this website.  In the hard copy of the book, this image begins the story.  On the website, this image ends the story.  Analyze one paragraph how the placement of this graphic either at the beginning or end may change our interpretation of its meaning.

 

       The Final Slide

 

Source:  http://www.juneteenth.com/middlep.htm