The
Middle Passage was the stage of the
triangular trade in which millions of
Africans were shipped to the
New World as part of the
Atlantic slave trade. Ships departed
Europe for African markets with manufactured goods, which were traded for purchased or kidnapped Africans, who were transported across the Atlantic as slaves; the slaves were then sold or traded for raw materials, which would be transported back to Europe to complete the voyage. Voyages on the Middle Passage were large financial undertakings, generally organized by companies or groups of investors rather than individuals.