Final answer:
The transatlantic slave trade had fundamental differences compared to previous forms of slavery. It was characterized by a high mortality rate, fueled by European powers, and caused significant disruption and conflicts in African societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The transatlantic slave trade had some fundamental differences compared to previous forms of slavery. One major issue was the scale and brutality of the trade. About 16 million Africans were captured and transported to European slaveholding colonies during the entire period of Atlantic slavery, and only 12 million arrived alive. The high mortality rate of the slave trade began from the forced march to the trading posts, continued during the Middle Passage, and resulted in the loss of millions of lives.
Another issue was the role of European powers in fueling the trade. The wealth of countries like Portugal, Spain, England, France, and the Netherlands, along with their firearms and manufactured goods, appealed to many West African states. These states enriched themselves by providing Europeans with captives in exchange for goods, which militarized the states and reoriented African trade. This altered the nature of society in Africa and contributed to conflicts among tribes and kingdoms, creating an unstable social and political climate.
Furthermore, the transatlantic slave trade had a profound impact on the communities from which the enslaved Africans were taken. It resulted in significant disruption, violence, and war in African societies. While slavery already existed in African societies, the slavery that evolved in the New World, particularly in the English colonies, was different. The slave trade exacerbated social and political instability and made sub-Saharan Africa vulnerable to European imperialism in the late nineteenth century.