1652–1700: The early era of the transatlantic slave trade was defined by exceptionally long voyages and devastatingly high mortality rates for both captives …

1652–1700: The early era of the transatlantic slave trade was defined by exceptionally long voyages and devastatingly high mortality rates for both captives and crews. Enslaved individuals departing from the Bight of Biafra during this period suffered death rates that were two to three times higher than those from Upper Guinea. These stark differences highlight how regional variations in health and maritime routes impacted the human cost of the Middle Passage. The lengthy crossings of the seventeenth century established the horrific baseline for shipboard mortality that subsequent regulations sought to mitigate.