Why did the Europeans treat the slaves so badly during the Middle Passage? A. A slave who was treated badly was considered more valuable. B. They viewed them as property rather than as people. C. They were angry at Africans for earlier invasions of Europe. D. A slave was required by law to be treated harshly.

Answer B: They viewed them as property rather than as people

The Middle Passage was the stage of the triangular trade in which millions of Africans were forcibly transported to the New World as part of the Atlantic slave trade. Ships departed Europe for African markets with manufactured goods, which were traded for purchased or kidnapped Africans, who were transported across the Atlantic as slaves; the slaves were then sold or traded for raw materials, which would be transported back to Europe to complete the voyage. Voyages on the Middle Passage were large financial undertakings, generally organized by companies or groups of investors rather than individuals

Slaves' treatment was horrific because the captured African men and women were considered less than human; they were "cargo", or "goods", and treated as such; they were transported for marketing.