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UNDERSTANDING THE DATABASE
Guide
Methodology
Introduction
Coverage of the Slave Trade
Nature of Sources
Cases and Variables
Data Variables
Dates
Names
Imputed Variables
Geographic Data
Imputed Voyage Dates
Classification as a Trans-Atlantic Slaving Voyage
Voyage Outcomes
Inferring Places of Trade
Imputing Numbers of Slaves
Regions of Embarkation and Disembarkation
Age and Gender Ratios
National Carriers
Tonnage
Resistance and Price of Slaves
Appendix
Notes
Variable List
Sources
Documentary Sources
Newspapers
Published Sources
Unpublished Secondary Sources
Private Notes and Collections

Variable list

The variable list provides summary information on variables of the Voyages Database in the "Search the Database" section. The variables are displayed here in the form of short labels. The second column gives their equivalents in the downloadable SPSS version of the database, where variable names take the form of acronyms. These names are also used in downloads of data for listings, tables and graphics from the website.

Variables without an asterisk are "data variables" - information as found in a primary source documenting a slaving voyage. Variables followed by an asterisk are "imputed variables." They include information, such as the mortality rate on slave voyages, that is calculated from data variables as well as information which, although not directly documented, can be supplied on the basis of patterns observed in data variables.

Ship, nation, owners
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Voyage identification numbervoyageid34,940••
Voyage in 1999 CD-ROMevgreen34,940•
Vessel nameshipname33,337••
Flagnational25,569•
Flag*natinimp33,274•••Flag regrouped into seven major national carriers
Place constructedplaccons8,881•
Year constructedyrcons6,182•
Place registeredplacreg7,218•
Year registeredyrreg4,508•
Rigrig22,419•
Tonnagetonnage17,590•
Standardized tonnage*tonmod16,555•Converted to pre-1786 British registered tons
Guns mountedguns6,110•
Vessel ownersowner21,026••
Voyage Outcome
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Particular outcome of voyagefate34,828•
Outcome of voyage for slaves*fate230,497••Derived from particular outcome
Outcome of voyage if ship captured*fate329,243•Derived from particular outcome
Outcome of voyage for owner*fate427,631••Derived from particular outcome
African resistanceresistance542••
Voyage Itinerary
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Place where voyage began*ptdepimp30,719••Same as data variable in most cases, but derived from port of return for certain Brazilian voyages
First place of slave purchaseplac1tra21,112•
Second place of slave purchaseplac2tra2,692•
Third place of slave purchaseplac3tra501•
Principal place of slave purchase*mjbyptimp26,334•••Place where largest number of captives embarked
Places of call before Atlantic crossingnpafttra1,663•
First place of slave landingsla1port24,849•
Second place of slave landingadpsale11,189•
Third place of slave landingadpsale286•
Principal place of slave landing*mjslptimp30,288•••Place where largest number of captives disembarked
Place where voyage endedportret10,643••
Voyage Dates
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Year arrived with slaves*yearam34,940•••Standard variable for classification by year of voyage
Date voyage begandate_dep22,192•
Date trade began in Africadate_buy6,510•
Date vessel departed Africadate_leftAfr7,966•
Date vessel arrived with slavesdate_land117,445•
Date vessel departed for home portdate_depam5,609•
Date voyage completeddate_end10,400•
Voyage length, home port to slaves landing (days)*voy1imp12,563•Difference between date voyage began and date vessel arrived with slaves
Middle passage (days)*voy2imp4,713•Difference between date vessel left Africa and date it arrived with slaves
Captain and Crew
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Captain's namecaptain30,895••
Crew at voyage outsetcrew112,651••
Crew at first landing of slavescrew32,248•
Crew deaths during voyagecrewdied4,433••
Slaves (numbers)
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Number of slaves intended at first place of purchaseslintend7,097•
Slaves carried from first port of purchasencar131,804•
Slaves carried from second port of purchasencar15391•
Slaves carried from third port of purchasencar1770•
Total slaves embarkedtslavesd8,207•
Total slaves embarked*slaximp33,387•••Estimated embarkations
Number of slaves arriving at first place of landingslaarriv18,184•
Number of slaves disembarked at first place of landingslas322,301•
Number of slaves disembarked at second place of landingslas36517•
Number of slaves disembarked at third place of landingslas3937•
Total slaves disembarked*slamimp33,083•••Estimated disembarkations
Slaves (characteristics)
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Percentage men*menrat73,374••Captives identified by age and gender
Percentage women*womrat73,372••Captives identified by age and gender
Percentage boys*boyrat73,332••Captives identified by age and gender
Percentage girls*girlrat73,330••Captives identified by age and gender
Percentage male*malrat73,850••Captives identified by gender (males/females)
Percentage children*chilrat73,919••Captives identified by age group (adults/children)
Sterling cash price in Jamaica*jamcaspr959•
Slave deaths during middle passage*vymrtimp6,332•Documented or difference between embarked and disembarked captives (data variables)
Mortality rate*vymrtrat6,332••Slave deaths during Middle Passage divided by number of captives leaving Africa
Source
VariablesSPSSVoyagesEstimatesBasicGeneralNote
Sourcessource34,925••
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