African slave trade free essay sample

Slavery existed in ancient Rome.   It continued in Europe and was common throughout the medieval period. Classical style slavery existed in the form of serfdom in Europe.   Enslaved people were allowed freedom after a designated time and their descendents were not automatically enslaved. There was no lifetime slavery in ancient Roman or Greek times or any other time in history.   The Europeans devised a form of â€Å"chattel slavery† in America, in which slaves were treated as property with no rights and as a commodity to be bought and sold.   Their enslaved condition was passed on to their descendents indefinitely.   The Atlantic slave trade lasted from the 14th to the 19th century.   It is estimated that 18 million Africans were removed from their homelands.   One third or more died on the journey in the slave ship. Slave trading in African was started by the Portuguese in 1441.   They captured slaves to work their sugar plantations. During the journey many Africans became sick and too depressed to eat or function due to loss of freedom, family, security, their own humanity and often the length of the voyage which caused food and water to diminish.The slave treatment of was often horrific because Africans were treated ore like cargo or goods and were transported for marketing. They would drown slaves at sea, so the owners could collect insurance on the slaves. Slaves were punished by whipping, shackling hanging, beating, burning, mutilation, branding and/or imprisonment. Refusal to eat and suicide were the two most common types of resistance. Slaves were often force-fed or tortured until they ate, though some still managed to starve themselves to death. The mistreatment of slaves frequently included rape and the sexual abuse of women.Many slaves were killed for resisting sexual attacks. The Fugitive Slave Law was passed in 1793 and 1850, intended to assist the progress of the recapture and extradition of runaway slaves during the Civil War. Federal marshals were directed to help recapture slaves. The slave capturer who accused the person that he was the slave would receive five dollars for turning the slave in and 10 dollars if the slave was returned to its owner. Although the North detested against the Law, the southerners had a positive idea about it. Southerners roamed the North looking for runaway slaves they thought they could turn in for money.Although there were many significant events in the African Slave Trade, there were three events that were most important during that time. Between the Middle Passage, the treatment of slaves and the Fugitive Slave Law there were many more events that made this time in history very important in our world today. Slavery is one of the most horrific events of history in my opinion.