Chapter two is centered around how the slave ships were made and organized for the Slave Trade. The importance of the ships, not only to the Slave Trade but to mankind, is strongly emphasized in this chapter. Rediker describes the machine as "one of the most useful ever invented". Ships were important because they helped connect the globe and were the historic vessel for the emergence of capitalism. The author goes into the origins of the slave ship, which dates back to the late fifteenth century, when the Portuguese made their historic voyages to the west coast of Africa, where they bought gold, ivory, and human beings. The ships could be made as expensive or as cheap as the buyer wanted. It was a way for people to display their wealth to others. Although, the ships were a display of wealth they also served a purpose, and were made to efficiently carry slaves from one place to another. The ships were also organized in a way to make sure everything ran as smooth as possible, attempting to keep the majority of slaves alive and healthy. The organization of labor on the slave ship began with the captain, the first person hired and the last to be discharged by the shipowner at the voyage's end. Most slave ships had two mates as well, because the threat of mortality required that several people be on board who knew navigation. There was always a doctor on board to keep the crew and the slaves alive from one side of the Atlantic to the other. The carpenter was responsible for the structural soundness of the ship and its various parts. Lastly, the landsmen on board were in charge of guarding the slaves. This chapter also describes how the ships were set up in order to hold large amounts of slaves. The building of these ships were strategic as it was all about carrying as many slaves as possible while keeping as many of them alive.
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