Final answer:
The distinctions between "legal" and "illegal" enslavement during the Atlantic slave trade were tied to economic impacts and the human cost of slavery. This era differed from previous forms of slavery by its scale, dehumanization, and the creation of economic structures and racist ideologies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The importance of distinctions between "legal" and "illegal" means of enslaving people during the fourth century of the Atlantic slave trade lies in the varied impacts these practices had on economics, plantation operations, and the lives of enslaved individuals. After international trade was banned in 1808, the domestic slave trade within the United States expanded significantly to meet the increasing needs of the cotton industry in the South.
This led to a surge in the internal trade of enslaved people, which not only had economic ramifications but also profound human costs, as families were separated and individuals faced the horrors of being treated solely as a commodity. Distinctions between legal and illegal slavery were important as they affected the operation of plantations, the economics of the period, and the enforcement of slavery laws, including the impact on African societies themselves.
The transatlantic slave trade was distinct from previous forms of slavery due to its scale, the dehumanization of captives, and the economic structures it created. The involvement of European powers and the ramifications for both African societies and enslaved people were profound. It also codified racist ideologies in law and policy, driven by economic motives but bolstered by pseudo-scientific beliefs in racial superiority.