Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database

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Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database is an extensive online database that provides detailed information about the transatlantic slave trade, which took place across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th to the 19th centuries. This database serves as a crucial resource for historians, researchers, educators, and the general public, offering insights into one of the darkest chapters of human history. It compiles data from archives and libraries across the Atlantic world, presenting facts and figures on the enslaved people, their captors, and the voyages that forcibly transported over 12 million Africans to the Americas.

Overview

The database meticulously documents more than 36,000 slaving voyages involving European and American slave traders who transported enslaved Africans to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries. It includes information on the ships' origins, destinations, and the conditions aboard, such as mortality rates and the duration of voyages. The database also provides details about the enslaved individuals, including age, gender, and ethnicity, when available.

Features

Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database offers several key features to its users:

• Searchable Database: Users can search for specific voyages, names of ships, captains, and locations connected to the slave trade.
• Estimates Database: This feature provides estimates of the volume of the trade over time, including the number of voyages and the number of enslaved people transported.
• African Names Database: A unique component that lists the names, ethnicities, and other personal details of the enslaved individuals, offering a glimpse into their identities.
• Maps and Images: The database includes maps showing the routes of the slave trade and images related to the transatlantic slave trade, providing visual context to the data.
• Educational Resources: It also offers lesson plans, historical essays, and guides for teachers to help integrate this important history into the classroom.

Significance

The significance of Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database lies in its ability to humanize the vast numbers associated with the transatlantic slave trade. By providing access to the names and personal details of some of the individuals who were part of this tragic history, the database helps to restore their identities and dignity. It also serves as an invaluable tool for understanding the economic, social, and human impact of the slave trade on societies across the Atlantic world.

Challenges and Limitations

While Voyages is a powerful tool for research and education, it also faces challenges and limitations. The database relies on historical records, which can be incomplete or biased. Additionally, the scope of the database is limited to the transatlantic slave trade, and thus it does not cover the internal African slave trade or the enslavement of people in other parts of the world.

Conclusion

Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database is a testament to the collaborative efforts of scholars and institutions worldwide to confront and document a significant, albeit painful, aspect of human history. It stands as a crucial resource for anyone seeking to understand the complexities and human cost of the transatlantic slave trade.