Final answer:
The domestic slave trade was an economically beneficial but morally corrupt system that resulted in the brutal treatment of enslaved individuals, their forced separation from families, and the commodification of human lives. The narratives of those involved, both real and fictional, reveal the conflicting morals of slaveholders and the devastating impact on the communities affected.
Step-by-step explanation:
McElveen's, Brown's, and Northup's narratives, along with historical accounts and fictional depictions, reveal the harsh realities and economic underpinnings of the domestic slave trade in America. Descriptions of the trade provide insight into the economic benefits it provided to white men, such as profits from sales by slaveholders and commissions for brokers. Moreover, the narratives underscore the brutal treatment of enslaved individuals, including the forced separation of families and the commodification of human lives. Slave traders like Freeman are characterized often as ruthless, and the stories of slaves like Eliza represent the human suffering inherent in the system.
Frederick Douglass's account highlights the moral contradictions faced by white slaveholders, using powerful imagery to portray the cruelty inflicted upon enslaved people of mixed heritage, who were often sold to appease white family members. The forced separation of families is emphasized as a particularly brutal aspect, with large numbers of African American slaves being transported across states, resulting in a disruptive and horrifying journey akin to a 'second middle passage.'
Finally, economic pressures on slaveholders to maintain and extract work from their slaves contributed to the expansion of the internal slave trade, particularly as the U.S. Civil War approached. This trade had significant effects on the communities from which the enslaved individuals were taken, including the breakdown of family units and social structures.