By the 1800s, it took six months/ five to eight weeks/ one year for ships to sail across the atlantic ocean. this increased speed reduced middle passage death rates. sanitary conditions also improved as slave traders better care of captured africans/ took time out to treat sick slaves/ some slaves as part of their crew . this change was not done out of care for enslaved africans but from a desire to get a better price for them when they were sold. select one for each of the blank spaces. and .