Slavery In America Essay

Have you ever wondered how a horrible thing such as slavery started? Slavery has been around for thousands of years. Many countries have adopted slavery at one point or another. A well known time period of slavery happened in America. However little know that it started with the Native Americans. European colonization of the new world was made possible by slavery, slave trading, and other forms of free labor. American Indians were the first slaves in North America. In addition to being slaves in America, American Indians were also captured and sent to other parts of the world. “American Indians were forced to labor as slaves and in various other forms of unfree servitude. They worked in mines, on plantations, as apprentices for artisans,

As the slaves produced more and more their owners expanded their plantations and as a result of this they needed more slaves. Slaves were treated harshly and had to work long hours in hot weather. In addition to this they were seen as property and didn’t have rights of their own. African slave trade with the America’s reached its peak around 1750 (Berlin). African slaves were purchased for around 15 Pounds in Africa and then sold for 45 Pounds in America (Eyewitness). Throughout the 17th century many laws were made and African slavery was legalized in America. North and the South disagreed on slavery and eventually went to war over the issue. The history of slavery in America is sad but true. I learned that slavery did not just start with the Africans. The Native Americans were put into slavery from the beginning of colonization. Following this path Europeans brought Africans to America and slavery took a new turn for the worse. African slavery was seen and is one of the worst eras in American history. Slaves were seen as property and bought and sold to the highest