The Middle Passage was the stage of the Atlantic slave trade in which millions of Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas as part of the triangular trade. European ships would leave Europe with manufactured goods, trade them for enslaved Africans in Africa, and then transport these captives across the ocean under brutal and inhumane conditions. This voyage typically lasted anywhere from 21 to 90 days, depending on conditions, and involved overcrowded ships with high mortality rates due to disease, malnutrition, and abuse. The Middle Passage played a crucial role in the transatlantic slave trade, connecting Africa with the Americas, where enslaved individuals were sold and forced into labor on plantations. It is estimated that about 15 million Africans were transported through this route, with significant loss of life en route and during the broader process of enslavement.