What is the Atlantic crossing of slaves to the Americas known as?

• A. Transatlantic Voyage
• B. Atlantic Crossing
• C. The Middle Run
• D. The Middle Passage

Answer: (D)

The Middle Passage captures the specific, historically named voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic as part of the slave trade. This term designates the middle leg of the triangular trade, connecting Africa to the Americas after Europe sent manufactured goods to Africa and the Americas sent goods like sugar, cotton, and tobacco back to Europe. The atmosphere on these ships was horrific—crowded holds, poor sanitation, disease, and brutal treatment—making these journeys infamous for their inhuman cruelty and high mortality. Other phrases like a transatlantic voyage or Atlantic crossing describe any crossing of the Atlantic, not the particular slave-trade context, and the idea of a “Middle Run” isn’t a standard historical term.