Digital History Project Review #2

Project: Transatlantic Slave Trade Database The Transatlantic Slave Trade Database is a digital project which houses an easy to access database of information pertaining to the slave trade during the era of slavery in the development of European colonies. Since the topic spans several centuries, the project tells its story chronologically along with the use of timelines and maps. The project’s extensive database of maps shows the reader everything geographic pertaining to the slave trade of the era. Everything from trade routes to the location of slave receiving ports. One unique aspect of the project is its use of 3d rendering to give the reader an inside and personal look at what the ships that transported slaves looked like. The 3d video shows every area of the ship and gives a perspective of the divide between the ship’s crew and its “cargo.” The interactive timelines and tables are used effectively to selectively compare information in different criteria. The design of the interface is easy to use and is intuitive. The drop down menus from the main subsections of the slave trade easily show all of the contents of the databases housed within the project. The project’s “About” page effectively tells the reader who constructed the project, why it was constructed, and why it is an important piece of work that deserves its bandwidth usage.