---
title: Slave Ship Model
author: Kenneth Lu
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20245/slave-ship-model/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
updated: 2025-03-21
---
# Slave Ship Model
_Authored by Kenneth Lu_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/20245.jpeg)
## Image Caption
Slave ship model, which "shows a typical ship in the early 1700s on the Middle Passage. To preserve their profits, captains and sailors tried to limit the deaths of slaves from disease, suicide, and revolts. In the grisly arithmetic of the slave [trade](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/trade/), captains usually chose between two options: pack in as many slaves as possible and hope that most survive, or put fewer aboard, improve the conditions between decks, and hope to lose fewer to disease.”
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Lu, K. (2025, March 21). Slave Ship Model. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Lu, Kenneth. "Slave Ship Model." *World History Encyclopedia*, March 21, 2025. .
### MLA
Lu, Kenneth. "Slave Ship Model." *World History Encyclopedia*, 21 Mar 2025, .
## License & Copyright
[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/toasty/4811223749/)This image was first published on [Flickr](http://www.flickr.com). [Original image](https://www.flickr.com/photos/toasty/4811223749/) by [**Kenneth Lu**](https://www.flickr.com/photos/toasty/4811223749/). Submitted by [Joshua J. Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/JPryst/ "User Page: Joshua J. Mark"), published on 21 March 2025. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0deed.en). This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.