- European diseases: Many Native American populations were decimated by diseases brought by European colonizers, such as smallpox, measles, and influenza. This population decline made it easier for colonists to conquer and enslave Native Americans.
- Cultural differences: Some colonists believed that Native Americans were inferior to Europeans and therefore justified enslaving them. This view was based on religious, cultural, and racial prejudices.
- Economic incentives: Enslaving Native Americans provided a source of cheap labor for the colonists. Native Americans were forced to work in a variety of industries, including agriculture, mining, and construction.
Africans:
- The Atlantic slave trade: The transatlantic slave trade was a major source of African slaves for the colonies. European slave traders captured Africans from their homes in Africa and transported them to the Americas to be sold as slaves.
- Racial prejudice: Many colonists believed that Africans were inferior to Europeans and therefore justified enslaving them. This view was based on religious, cultural, and racial prejudices.
- Economic incentives: Enslaving Africans provided a cheap and readily available source of labor for the colonists. African slaves were forced to work in a variety of industries, including agriculture, mining, and construction.