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1. 117 Voyage, Rdeur (1819)


2. 1 Voyage, Pastora de Lima (1817)
3. http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/assessment/intro-maps.faces#map4
4. http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/database/search.faces
Steve Tomy
Primary Source Evaluation

Wind direction and ocean currents played a major role in the creation of two separate
slave-trading systems
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. One system was within the north which included the voyages beginning
in Europe and ending in the Caribbean. The other was in the south and included voyages
beginning in Brazil and ending in Brazil.
There were almost 35000 voyages sailed. Within these 35000, about 12543 voyages
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followed the northern trade winds and began in Europe and ended in the Caribbean. One such
voyage that sailed through the northern trade winds was in 1819. Captain Boucher led the
voyage on Rdeur
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. Rdeur was a slave ship that embarked about 200 slaves in Africa, however
only disembarked 160 in the Caribbean, due to 40 slaves dying during the middle passage, giving
it a 20.0 death percentage. The Northeast Trades and Westerlies seem to be directed toward
opposite directions. However, it is in favor of the ocean currents. Thus, it would make it easy for
ships to sail with the ocean current because the wind patterns will help speed up their voyage.
Rdeurs journey would be smooth and quick because after starting from Le Havre (France), the
ocean current and the Northeast Trades help move the voyage towards their region of slave
purchase, Bonny and Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands, with ease. Similarly, the
Northeast Trades are supportive in returning the vessel back to the Caribbean, Guadeloupe and
Basse-Terre, because it is concurrent with the ocean currents. Additionally, the wind flow and
ocean current would also help in getting the ship back to where it started. All in all, voyages
following the northern trade winds had their safe journeys handed to them.
About 8872 voyages
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followed the southern winds and initiated from Brazil and
terminated at Brazil. An example of such voyage took place in 1817. Pastora de Lima
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was
______________________________________________________________________________
1. 117 Voyage, Rdeur (1819)
2. 1 Voyage, Pastora de Lima (1817)
3. http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/assessment/intro-maps.faces#map4
4. http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/database/search.faces
captained by Captain Dias. It was a slave ship that embarked about 404 slaves in Africa but only
disembarked 290 due to 114 slave deaths during the middle passage giving it a 28.2 death
percentage. The Southeast Trades and Westerlies are also directed toward opposite directions. It
is in favor of the ocean currents however not as compatible as the northern winds. Thus, it would
make it slightly hard for ships to sail with the ocean current because the wind patterns could
throw them off course but not too badly. Pastora de Limas
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journey would be as good as
Rdeurs because after starting from Rio de Janeiro and Southeast Brazil, the ocean current and
the Westerlies would help move the voyage towards their region of slave purchase, Mozambique
and Southeast Africa and Indian Ocean islands. The Southeast Trades are helpful, but not very
much, in returning the vessel back to Bahia and Bahia, somewhat. All in all, voyages following
the southern trade winds are partially handicapped through the fact that the winds are not exactly
on the same flow as the ocean currents.
The northern and southern winds have definitely called for two different systems of trade.
Though they have different and unhelpful sections, overall it was a great assistance to the
voyages.

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