The Middle Passage involved the forced transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas under horrific conditions with high mortality rates.
The Middle Passage was the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas as part of the Triangle Trade network. Slaves were subjected to horrific conditions, including being segregated by sex, chained together, and kept in extremely tight quarters where 12-13 percent died during the journey. The mortality rates for the Middle Passage averaged around 12-13 percent, with around 10 million Africans enslaved and forced to make this treacherous voyage.