Exercise 6 The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database and Website analysis

A. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database

Go to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database (www.slavevoyages.org). Spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with and exploring the database. From the main page, go into Search the Voyages Database. Maintain the default time frame. Under "General Variables", select "Ship, Nation, Owners", and then "Flag". Under "Current Query", select "Spain". Then hit "Search". Using Summary Statitics, Tables, and Timeline, answer the following questions:

1. How many total slaves did the Spanish transport between 1514 and 1866?

2. How many total voyages flew under the Spanish flag between 1514 and 1886?

3. What percentage of slaves died during the voyages?

4. What was the average length of the Middle Passage?

5. Using the Tables and the Timeline, identify some trends in the Spanish slave trade over time.

Now, change the flag to Great Britain.

6. How many total slaves did the British transport between 1514 and 1866?

7. How many total voyages flew under the British flag between 1514 and 1886?

8. What percentage of slaves died during the voyages?

9. What was the average length of the Middle Passage?

10. Using the Tables and the Timeline, identify some trends in the British slave trade over time.

11. Compare the Spanish and British slave trades.

12. Choose one voyage (from either the Spanish or the British search) in which the database reports slave resistance (under Voyage Outcome). Write a basic narrative of that voyage using the data provided.

B. Website Analysis

In a 1-2-page typed paper, introduce and evaluate a single website that you could potentially use in your research or studying for this class. It should be a website with significant historical content (including primary sources), such as The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database or sites associated with libraries, museums, and other institutions. See Rampolla, 21, for Tips on Evaluating Web sites.