Final answer:
The chronological distribution of slavery to the New World began in the 16th century, primarily to Spanish and Portuguese colonies, expanded through the Atlantic Trade Triangle, diversified in the 18th century across various European colonies with plantation economies, with significant roles played by British and Portuguese traders. The trade continued until its abolition in Brazil in 1888, though domestic trade in the U.S. persisted until the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chronological Distribution of Slavery to the New World
The trans-Atlantic slave trade, which played a pivotal role in the history and development of the Americas, saw a gradual but expansive distribution of enslaved Africans across the New World from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Initially, the Spanish and Portuguese colonies received the majority of enslaved people, especially given their earlier ventures into the Americas.
By the mid-17th century, the Atlantic Trade Triangle had established itself as a structure, often forcing captives through Caribbean islands which served as major transit markets. Throughout this period, a high demand for plantation labor drove the exportation of slaves to various European colonies, with destinations expanding beyond the Iberian colonies.
The 18th century saw a diversification of slave origins and destinations. Slaves from regions like Senegambia, Bight of Benin, Kongo, and Bight of Biafra found themselves in Portuguese Brazil, while Africans from the Kongo were notably present in the French Caribbean colony of Saint Domingue. Meanwhile, South Carolina saw a large proportion of Africans from West Central Africa.
In terms of numbers, the British and Portuguese were predominant in the trade, comprising the majority of transatlantic slaving voyages. Brazil became an especially prominent destination, receiving more African slaves than any other country. It would continue to be involved in the slave trade until its abolition in Brazil in 1888.
The distribution of enslavement within what would become the United States followed a somewhat different trajectory. After the U.S. abolished the slave trade in 1807, the domestic trade within the country intensified, particularly with the expansion of slavery into new states added to the Union up until the Civil War.