Transatlantic Slavery

Transatlantic slavery was one of the most significant anthropological events in human history, as more than 12.5 million people were uprooted from their homes in Africa and forced across the ocean between the 16th and 19th centuries. For those who survived the journey, and for the millions more born into slavery, the output of their labor was integral to colonial expansion and the generation of wealth. The fight for freedom (including multiple wars) saw the abolition of slavery across the Americas in the 19th century, although racial inequalities and injustices have persisted since then. Today, those with African heritage make up a large share of the population in the Americas, and are the ethnic majority in several countries. This report will examine the origins, development, and abolition of transatlantic slavery, as well as some of the experiences of those who endured life as a slave, and the long-term impacts of slavery's legacy.