Equiano s First Hand Experience Of Being Kidnapped

â€Å"In this situation I expected every hour to share the fate of my companions, some of whom were almost daily brought upon deck at the point of death, which I began to hope would soon put an end to my miseries.†(Equiano). Olaudah Equiano’s first hand experience of being kidnapped, as a child in Africa, is a poignant accounting of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This era and actions of the slavers, which we now view as â€Å"Crimes against Humanity,† lasted approximately 400 years from the 16th to 19th century (Smallwood). Many have called this forced exodus of 12-15 million African men, women, and children as a dark time where profits came at the cost of human suffering. As Equiano and many historians detailed, the abduction of Africans occurred mostly in West Africa, the region from Senegal to Angola. The three-legged trade route spanned many continents and areas from Europe, Africa, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and South America. There were many who profited from the Triangular Slave Trade, from Africans, Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French. Many have surmised that profitability in the industries involved and the economies of the European empires relied heavily on the output of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The European colonial empires would typically to trade with Africans for gold, ivory, spices, and enslaved Africans. The slavers would then travel to the Americas and the Caribbean, in what was known as the Middle Passage, the horrific journey where, â€Å"millions of enslavedShow MoreRelatedSummary Of The Slave Trade 1149 Words   |  5 PagesTrade In the 1600’s, Slavery played a significant role in European history. The negative aspects that made up the dark times in history are, mainly centered on the brutalizing effects of the enslaved people, which can be best explained by the destroyed family bonds, history of the enslaved people erased, and unjust treatment of the slaves. 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