Question

"At last, when the ship we were in, had got in all her cargo, they made ready with many fearful noises, and we were all put under deck, so that we could not see how they managed the vessel.

But this dis- appointment was the least of my sorrow. The stench of the hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for any time.
The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us."
Excerpt from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African.
Written by Himself. Vol. I. London: Author, 1789.
The above quote is most likely describing:
A) The economy of New England
B) The government of Massachusetts
C) Life on the Middle Passage
D) Life in the Pennsylvania colony.

Answer 1

The quote describes the appalling conditions and suffering endured by enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage of the transatlantic slave trade.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, describes the horrific conditions aboard a slave ship during the Middle Passage. Equiano vividly recounts the unbearable stench, crowded living quarters, and the immense suffering of those on board. This journey was one where enslaved Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. The quote details the human suffering endured: the closeness and heat that suffocated individuals, the diseases that rapidly spread due to poor conditions, and the brutal treatment by the crew.