Question

Since slave labor was common in West Africa, was the system of slavery itself more oppressive there than it would become in the Americas?

1) Yes, the system of slavery was more oppressive in West Africa
2) No, the system of slavery was more oppressive in the Americas
3) Cannot be determined
4) Not applicable

Answer 1

The system of slavery in the Americas was more oppressive than in West Africa due to its basis on race, lifelong enslavement, and the violence caused by the transatlantic slave trade.

Step-by-step explanation:

Slavery in West Africa was different from the system of slavery that evolved in the Americas. In West Africa, slavery was not based on race, but on factors such as capture in wars or committing crimes. Slaves in West Africa were often used for local agriculture or industry, and their enslavement was frequently for a specific term, not a lifelong sentence. On the other hand, slavery in the Americas, particularly in the English colonies, was based on race and involved lifelong enslavement. The violence and disruption caused by the transatlantic slave trade also had a significant impact on African societies. Therefore, it can be argued that the system of slavery in the Americas was more oppressive than in West Africa.