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Slavery is as old as civilization itself. However, the enslavement of African Americans was probably the worst incident of slavery in human history, mostly because it was justified by racism. At first, Europeans that conquered the Americas enslaved native people that were conquered, which was the traditional kind of enslavement. But Native American slaves usually either rebelled or died as slaves, so they needed another labor force. Thus started the African slave trade, which utilized an existing tradition between warring tribes there. The importation of slaves into the southern US established a ready supply of cheap labor for agricultural development. Later this came into conflict with human rights delineated under the US Constitution, and many pressed for its elimination (especially in the northern non-slave states).

It should be remembered that slavery is a very old institution. Wrong, but old. Far larger cases of enslavement have occurred over the centuries. The Jewish people are one example. Today, slavery is still employed by black people in Africa. It is not a color issue or racist issue. The real issue is greed and lack of morals. Any group of people can become greedy and lose morals.

The African Connection

As to why black people more prominently figured in slavery, there were many races used in that manner. Rome enslaved many of the Aegeans, and Caucasian criminals were used for labor in Spain and France. However, African blacks were particularly prized for strength and stamina, and they were readily available. Slaves became slaves because they were prisoners of war. Slave traders did not have to land in Africa and raid villages. The lands have always been involved in tribal conflict and warfare, and the slave trade was profitable for African war chiefs and the traders alike. At first, it was African prisoners of war whose villages were raided, with captives marched as much as 100 miles to the coast by the victors. Then raiding parties formed of African groups that saw the profit of slave trading, and sought out weaker tribes and villages to overtake and profit from.

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14y ago

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