Barco negrero (Slave ship)

Barco negrero o barco de esclavos (o Guineamen en el ámbito anglosajón) eran las denominaciones de los barcos dedicados al comercio de esclavos negros, especialmente los del comercio atlántico de esclavos entre África y América, como parte del comercio triangular denominado en inglés middle passage. Unos veinte millones de esclavos africanos fueron transportados por estos barcos. El comercio atlántico de esclavos pasó a ser un gran negocio con la colonización de América, que demandaba mano de obra esclava para las plantaciones. Los siglos XVII y XVIII marcaron el máximo nivel de ese tráfico. Para maximizar el beneficio, los armadores de los barcos negreros multiplicaron su capacidad dividiendo el espacio hasta extremos mínimos, lo que producía condiciones higiénicas deplorables, deshidratación y todo tipo de enfermedades, con un aumento de la tasa de mortalidad hasta cifras entre el 15% y el 33% que, no obstante, se consideraba asumible económicamente. Cientos de esclavos (un barco medio, como el Henrietta Marie, llevaba unos doscientos) se transportaban encadenados a literas donde se mantenían en posición horizontal, sin espacio para moverse. Los barcos negreros pasaron a ser considerados piratas y perseguidos internacionalmente a partir de 1807, como consecuencia de la legislación acordada entre los Estados Unidos y el Reino Unido. En 1815, en el Congreso de Viena, España, Portugal, Francia y Holanda acordaron eliminar su propio comercio de esclavos. En la época los barcos negreros se hicieron más pequeños y rápidos (blockade runner -literalmente "el que escapa de los bloqueos"-), para eludir mejor la persecución.

Slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of transporting slaves, especially newly purchased African slaves to the Americas. The most significant routes of the slave ships led from the north-western and western coasts of Africa to South America and the south-east coast of what is today the United States, and the Caribbean. As many as 20 million Africans were transported by ship. The transportation of slaves from Africa to America was known as the Middle Passage. The African slave trade was outlawed by the United States of America and the United Kingdom in 1807. The applicable UK act was the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act and outlawed the slave trade throughout the British Empire. The US law took effect on January 1, 1808. After that date all US and British slave ships leaving Africa were legally pirate vessels subject to capture by the United States Navy or Royal Navy. In 1815, at the Council of Vienna, Spain, Portugal, France, and the Netherlands also agreed to abolish their slave trade. After abolition, slave ships adopted quicker, more maneuverable forms to evade capture by naval warships, one favorite form being the Baltimore Clipper. Some had hulls fitted with Copper sheathing. This was very expensive work that at this time was only commonly done to Royal Navy vessels. However it increased speed by preventing the growth of marine weed on the hull, which would otherwise cause drag. The speed of slave ships made them attractive ships to repurpose for piracy,[6] and also made them attractive for naval use after capture; the USS Nightingale (1851) and HMS Black Joke (1827) were examples of such vessels. The size of slave ships also allowed for many cannons and other guns to be placed on them