6. The process of becoming a slave in the Americas began in Africa
Nearly all of the Africans destined for the transatlantic voyage came from the West Coast or West Central Africa; Senegambia, Upper Guinea, the Windward Coast, the Gold Coast, the Bight of Benin, the Bight of Biafra, West Central Africa, and Southeastern Africa. Over 45 distinct ethnic groups were taken from Africa, the most prominent being the BaKongo and the Mande. For all of them, it began by capture by enemies, or conviction of a crime by tribal elders. Bound or shackled, they were force marched to the port where their captor’s rulers maintained a prison, often a fort, known as a factory. A European representative of the trading company operated there as a factor. His job was to obtain the best terms for the ships arriving with goods with which to purchase the slaves. Captors were held until a ship arrived.
Those not purchased by the Europeans, and later Americans, often remained as slaves of the tribe or nation which captured them. Many were summarily killed. Those purchased were packed into the decks of the ships, shackled and chained. There they remained, in stifling heat until the ship achieved its full complement. With no knowledge of the words they overheard, what they were in, and where they were going, they remained in the ship for at least ten weeks, often longer. In later years of the trade, some enlightened captains brought them on deck, in shifts, in order to dance, still shackled. It was their belief that the exercise extended life, an idea first practiced by Captain James Cook on his crew during his voyages of discovery. Cook believed the exercise beneficial to health, though his crews did not dance wearing shackles.