Question

Which of these factors was not a reason why European colonists purchased African slaves as a source of labor?

A) The African slaves were farmers who knew how to cultivate crops and work the land.
B) The African slaves were used as overseers to force indigenous workers to complete their tasks.
C) The African slaves were not familiar with American terrain, so they could not escape the plantations.
D) The African slaves were immune to many European diseases because of Africa's proximity to Europe.

Answer 1

The incorrect factor among the reasons for the colonization use of African slaves was their supposed immunity to European diseases due to Africa's proximity to Europe. African slaves were chosen primarily for their experience with agriculture, suitability for labor, and their lack of familiarity with American terrain, not because of geographical proximity to Europe.

Step-by-step explanation:

The factor that was not a reason why European colonists purchased African slaves as a source of labor is D) The African slaves were immune to many European diseases because of Africa's proximity to Europe. African slaves were indeed brought to the Americas to work the land due to their agricultural skills. They were viewed as being physically suited for hard labor and less likely to escape as they were not familiar with the American terrain. However, the immunity to European diseases was not due to Africa's proximity to Europe, but because they had previous exposure to similar diseases like smallpox in their own environment and thus tolerated the diseases better than the indigenous population who had no prior exposure.