The Middle Passage was the horrific sea journey during the Atlantic slave trade in which millions of enslaved Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. It was the middle leg of the triangular trade route, which involved ships carrying manufactured goods from Europe to Africa, enslaved Africans from Africa to the Americas, and raw materials from the Americas back to Europe

. This voyage typically lasted from about 21 to 90 days, depending on weather and conditions, and involved overcrowded ships where enslaved people were packed tightly below decks under brutal conditions. They suffered from malnutrition, disease, physical and psychological abuse, and were shackled to prevent revolts. Many did not survive the journey; estimates suggest that about 15-18% of captives died during the passage

. The Middle Passage was marked by extreme suffering and resistance, with numerous recorded slave revolts aboard ships, though these were usually violently suppressed. The enslaved were treated as cargo with monetary value, and their forced migration had lasting cultural and social impacts in the Americas, shaping the African diaspora

. In summary, the Middle Passage was the transatlantic voyage that forcibly transported enslaved Africans under inhumane conditions to the New World, forming a central and brutal component of the Atlantic slave trade