Slavery

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  Slavery

  A slave, or an enslaved person, is someone who is forced to carry out some kind of work without payment and is forbidden to leave their service. In the past, slavery was both...

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  History of slavery

  Slavery was widespread throughout the ancient world. The Code of Ur-Nammu (a collection of laws), written around 2100–2050 BC during the Third Dynasty of Ur in Sumerian...

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  Slavery in Africa

  As a result of the slave trade, many millions of Africans were sold into slavery—via several routes—over the centuries. They were taken across the Sahara Desert; shipped from...

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  Slavery in Brazil

  As a Portuguese colony, Brazil became active in the Atlantic slave trade from the 1550s. Over the centuries, it imported more enslaved Africans than any other country. They were...

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  Atlantic slave trade

  From the 16th century onwards, overseas colonies brought huge wealth to countries in Europe. Spain plundered its colonies on the American mainland, carrying vast amounts of gold...

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  Slavery in the Caribbean

  Shortly after the arrival of Christopher Columbus on the shores of Caribbean islands in 1492, the Spanish began colonizing them. They set up plantations growing tobacco—later...

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  Abolition of slavery in the British Empire

  No nation transported more enslaved Africans to the Americas than Britain during the course of the 18th century. Approximately 2.5 million captives were sent from West Africa on...

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  Slavery in the colonial history of the United States

  Only a small percentage of the enslaved Africans brought to the New World came to the British colonies of North America—perhaps as little as 5% of the total. The vast majority...

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  Slavery in the Southern United States

  By the late 18th century, with the land used to grow tobacco now nearly exhausted, the Southern United States faced economic ruin. The continuation of slavery looked highly...

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  Abolition of slavery in the United States

  During the first half of the 19th century, abolitionism, a movement to end slavery in the United States, grew in strength. Most abolitionist societies and supporters came from the...

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