Why were so many Africans enslaved?

Until the late eighteenth century few people thought that there was anything wrong with using African slaves. Cheap labour in vast quantities was needed to work the rapidly expanding plantation culture of the Americas and slaves seemed the perfect solution.

It was only as the anti-slave trade campaign gathered momentum that people started to question the use of slaves. The campaign also forced supporters of slavery to explain why it was acceptable.

Your task in this case study is to investigate the reasons given by these supporters to explain why so many Africans were enslaved.Use the sources, extra information, the timeline and your own knowledge to help you in your research. A worksheet has been provided to help you record your answers and draw conclusions.

Start your investigation….

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