The Departure

2.1 Outward bound

Introduction

Fort Rammekens, located by the entrance to the Western Scheldt, was built between 1547–1552. Fort Rammekens is the oldest Western European sea fortress that is still standing. The most important function of the fort, for much of its history, was to guard, protect and control the shipping route to the harbors of Middelburg and Antwerp. The ship The Unity was partially loaded in the Middelburg harbor. Then the ship was pulled to the roadstead of Rammekens. There the remaining cargo was brought on board and the ship was prepared for departure.

Documents

Worksheets

Download the worksheets below:

• Introduction lesson 2.1 Outward bound
• Lesson 2.1 Outward bound – Math
• Lesson2.1 Outward bound – Language
• Lesson 2.1 Outward bound – WO

Extra

Archival research aided by the Internet

This assignment for young archival researchers is about making connections between documents. By comparing different documents about the same event or the same subject with each other, you can discover how, why and when something occurred. Archival research is like detective work!

In the MCC archives you will find various documents. Including all the documents about the voyage taken by The Unity. Many of these documents are on the MCC Slave Voyage The Unity website.

Based on the archival documents you can, for instance, make infographics. These infographics give a clear overview about a subject through images, graphs and texts. The infographics below provide an overview of what is written in the archives about the trade of slaves, ivory and gold. In the infographics all numbers are rounded up.

Assignment

Have a look at the infographics about the trade goods. Here you see how all the data about the trade load is processed into graphs.

Have a look at the entry in the trade journal about the remaining trade goods. In this you can read all the information about the cargo processed into graphs.

Have a look at the infographics about the trade cost in West Africa. Here you can see what profit the trade in slaves, ivory and gold brought and what the cost was.

Have a look at the infographics about the profits from the sale of Africans in the West Indies. Here you can see what the profit of the sale of the Africans was through auction and direct sales (without interposition of a notary).

Answer the following questions:

1. What was the total value of the trade load for Western Africa and the additional trade load?
2. What were the three most important trade goods for Western Africa?
3. In the entry in the trade journal of The Unity about the remaining unsold trade goods you can see exactly what wasn’t sold (traded). Behind the goods the price is listed in Dutch guilders. Make an overview of the trade goods with the prices behind it. Round up the prices that have double digits behind the decimal.
4. Based on the rounded up numbers, create your own infographic. You can make infographics in all shapes and colors; you can make a drawing for each of the goods: the machetes, the trumpets, the various beads, the textile and the king’s mantels. You can make infographics aided by a simple computer application, but you can also simply make one on paper.
5. What were the total costs of the purchase of the slaves, the ivory and the gold in Western Africa? What was the largest post?
6. In which of the three areas along the West African coast did they purchase the cheapest slaves? And the most expensive? And the most?
7. What was the total profit of the sold slaves, both at auction and through direct sales (without interposition of a notary)?
8. Compare the purchase price of the slaves to the sales prices. What do you see? Keep in mind that some of the purchased slaves passed away before the ship departed to the West Indies and that more Africans died during the Middle Passage and by the colonies. Meaning more Africans were purchased than sold. If you keep that in mind, did the captain of The Unity still make a profit? Or not?

Worksheet extra assignments

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• Worksheets extra assignments

2.2 Extreme Weather

Introduction

The crewmembers were all responsible for running and maintaining the ship. A number of tasks were set on paper. There was enough work to be done. The crew began each day with prayer lead by the captain. At 8 o’clock everybody needed to get to work. At times the weather conditions during The Unity’s voyage were very bad. During a storm something could go wrong or break. The ship’s council then needed to make a statement. The officers formed the ship’s council on board.

Documents

Worksheets

Download the worksheets below:

• Introduction lesson 2.2 Extreme weather
• Lesson 2.2 Extreme weather – Math
• Lesson 2.2 Extreme weather – Language
• Lesson 2.2 Extreme weather – WO

Extra

Archival research aided by the Internet

This assignment for young archival researchers is about making connections between documents. By comparing different documents about the same event or the same subject with each other, you can discover how, why and when something occurred. Archival research is like detective work!

In the MCC archives you will find various documents. Including all the documents about the voyage taken by The Unity. Many of these documents are on the MCC Slave Voyage The Unity website.

Have a look at the report by the first mate in the log on April 5, 1762. In this he writes that 2 water canoes capsized causing them to lose a number of water barrels. Please note: in the tekst barrels are also called aumes.

Have a look at the report by the first mate in the log on April 30, 1762. Here he again refers to the barrels (aumes).

Have a look at the declaration by ship’s council of The Unity, written on May 12, 1762 about the capsized water canoes and the lost water barrels (aumes).

Answer the following questions:

1. On which day did the ship lose the water barrels?
2. How many barrels were lost?
3. How many new barrels did the captain purchase?
4. On which day did the new barrels arrive on board?
5. Which document mentions the wrong date?
6. How do you know this incorrect date is a mistake?

Worksheet extra assignments

Download the worksheet below:

• Worksheet extra assignments