Summary of Marcus Rediker's The Slave Ship

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The slave trade was the largest commercial enterprise in the history of humanity, spanning continents and generations. It involved a vast and lowly proletariat, hundreds of thousands of sailors, and millions of slaves. #2 A man named Captain Tomba was among a group of dejected prisoners in a holding pen. He was tall, strong, and defiant. He saw a group of white men observing the barracoon, with a design to buy. When his fellow captives were subjected to buyers’ inspection, he expressed contempt. #3 The story of the boatswain is a prime example of leadership among the captives. She was a woman who was in charge of her fellow enslaved women, and she kept order on the ship. One day, she was given a cut or two by the second mate, and she flew into a rage. #4 The man who came aboard the slave ship Brooks in late 1783 or early 1784 was a native of the Gold Coast, possibly Fante. He was accused of witchcraft and sold to the ship. He refused all sustenance, and within a week or ten days, he died of pure starvation.