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American Slave Trade Research Paper

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The american slave trade was an unfortunate event that shaped our country for what it is and stands for today. Slaves started as immigrants on their way to the new world that had no choice in the future that was held for them (The Growth of Slavery). Slavery has often been associated with Africans, but started years before colonists thought up the idea of using Africans as slaves. The beginning of the slave trade in the American Colonies was due to the desire for large profits with a cheap and abundant supply of labor. The American slave trade started with colonists enslaving Native Americans, but that was not long lasting. Native Americans did not make quality slaves for the colonists because of the familiarity with the land. Natives knew …show more content…

Chieftains captured and sold slaves to European slave traders for valuable cargo from the Europeans, including iron, cloth, and gunpowder, before being sent on a long, deadly voyage to America (The Middle Passage). The journey could last anywhere from weeks to an entire year. Before their journey to America, the africans had a long walk from all over Africa to holding factories; many of which died during this walk. The future slaves waited to start their journey to America in dungeons of slave factories along Africa’s west coast. Once they boarded the ships, they were branded with hot irons and then restrained with shackles. They stood, shackled, in an area underneath the ship that contained less than five feet of room above their head. A few hundred slaves under the ship left barely any room for the slaves to move around. Due to the lack of room and incapability to move freely, the slaves used the restroom on the floor where they were standing, causing much disease and death along the passage (The Middle Passage). Once the Africans made it to America, they were auctioned off as slaves (A slave auction in South Carolina). In 1619, the first twenty African slaves arrived at Point Comfort, located in Hampton, Virginia (Unit 3 African American Slavery). They arrived on a Dutch ship and were the first Africans to involuntarily be used for labor in the British colonies (African Slaves Arrive at Point Comfort (Hampton), VA.). Georgia was the first state to legalize slavery and Maryland was the first to industrialize it in 1640 (A slave auction in south Carolina). In 1661, Virginia became the first British colony to establish slavery (The Growth of

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