Slave Factories

• Journey to Slave Factories

  • Once captured, slave agents would march enslaved people to slave factories, located at the coast, in neck braces and chains
  • This line of captured and chained slaves was known as a "coffle"
• Slave Factories Conditions

  • Hundreds, possibly thousands, of Africans were placed into these slave factories
  • They could be held for months at a time, with disease being common
  • Malaria being a common killer
• Slave Factories Conditions

  • In the 1770s, about half of the enslaved people died before going on the Middle Passage
• What happened at Slave Factories

  • Enslaved people were checked for good health - as it was important to take a slave who would survive the Middle Passage
  • They were washed down, and palm oil rubbed into their skin to make them appear shiny and healthy
• What happened at Slave Factories

  • Enslaved people were also shackled to 2 other slaves to ensure no escapees
  • They were usually put into wooden, or underground cells
  • The conditions of these cells were horrible
• Branding

  • Africans were branded with a hot branding iron
  • This had the initials of the ship that bought them
  • This was to make sure African traders couldn't swap healthy slaves for unhealthy slaves