African History - The Beginnings of the Slave Trade

African History - The Beginnings of the Slave Trade

When the slave ship docked, the slaves would be taken off the ship and placed in a pen.
Slaves were sold, by auction, to the person that bid the most money for them. It was here that family members would find themselves split up, as a bidder may not want to buy the whole family, only the strongest, healthiest member.There they would be washed and their skin covered with grease, or sometimes tar, to make them look more healthy. This was done so that they would fetch as much money as possible. They would also be branded with a hot iron to identify them as slaves.