The slave trade, also known as the transatlantic slave trade, was a system of trade that involved the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, where they were sold as laborers. The slave trade began in the 15th century and continued until the 19th century.
The first slaves brought to the Americas were brought to the island of Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) in the Caribbean by the Spanish in 1502. From the Caribbean, the slave trade expanded to other parts of the Americas, including Brazil, the United States, and Canada.
The Portuguese were the first to engage in the transatlantic slave trade, transporting enslaved Africans to their colonies in South America and the Caribbean. The Dutch, British, and French also became involved in the slave trade, transporting enslaved Africans to their colonies in the Americas.
The slave trade was fueled by the demand for labor in the Americas, particularly in the plantation economies of the Caribbean and the Southern United States. The transatlantic slave trade was the largest forced migration in history, and it is estimated that between 9.4 and 12.8 million Africans were transported to the Americas as slaves.
The slave trade had a significant impact on African societies, as it resulted in the forced removal of millions of people from their homes, families, and communities. It also had a lasting impact on the cultures and societies of the Americas, as the descendants of enslaved Africans continue to face the consequences of slavery and discrimination to this day.