# Conditions on slave ships **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conditions-on-slave-ships/364659 "2006-07-15T21:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conditions-on-slave-ships/364659/1 "2006-07-15T21:24:22Z")
I’d like to know more information on the conditions for the human cargo on the ships that plied the Atlantic slave trade route. Specifically: [ol] [li]How, what, and how often were the slaves fed and watered?[/li][li]How were the slaves bound? Ropes? Chains? Manacles? Leg irons? Neck irons? How much room did they have to move their bodies or limbs? Could they sit up? Roll onto their side? Roll over?[/li][li]How, where, and how often were the slaves bathed and exercised? (The _Roots_ miniseries depicts the slaves being periodically unchained to wash and exercise above decks.)[/li][li]What arrangements were made for handling bodily waste? Were the slaves unbound to relieve themselves, were there chamber pots that could be used in situ, or did the slaves have to soil themselves?[/li][li]What diseases or injuries did the slaves typically get en route?[/li][li]What diseases or injuries did the slaves typically die of en route?[/li][li]What was the typical mortality rate?[/li][li]What was the typical suicide rate? (_Roots_ depicts a slave jumping overboard.)[/li][li]Were the slaves given any medical care? If so, what?[/li][li]How common and successful were slave revolts? (I know only of the _Amistad_. The _Roots_ miniseries refers to an earlier successful revolt, but does not give many details besides saying that the ship was intercepted after the slaves had killed all the crew.)[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![FormerMarineGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/65b543/32.png) [@FormerMarineGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FormerMarineGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conditions-on-slave-ships/364659/2 "2006-07-15T21:43:38Z")
Here is some very good reading about the interception of a slave ship: [Saved](http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/slaveship.htm) According to this [site](http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASships.htm) many of the deaths by disease were from dystentery and smallpox. There are millions of interesting sites out there. I always thought Roots was a great book that explained how a lot of it works. I remember reading that it was pretty hard for the slaves to commit suicide because they were limited to only a few times of fresh air. Also, not all of them knew what was happening to them, thinking that maybe they will be saved or somehow everything will work out for them. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conditions-on-slave-ships/364659/3 "2006-07-15T21:55:31Z")
> [@FormerMarineGuy](#): > > Also, not all of them knew what was happening to them, thinking that maybe they will be saved or somehow everything will work out for them. I didn’t think of that. They obviously didn’t speak English, and I doubt the sailors would explain it to them even if they could speak the language. How horrifying. :eek: