Slaves were taken from Africa because of the Atlantic slave trade, which ran from the 16th to the 19th century. During this time, European slave traders captured millions of African people and shipped them to the Americas to work on plantations and other labor-intensive industries.
Where they were taken from
The majority of slaves were taken from West Africa, with a smaller number coming from East and Central Africa. Some of the regions that provided the largest number of slaves include Senegal, Gambia, the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana), the Bight of Benin (present-day Benin and Nigeria), and Angola.
Who sold them to European slavers
African slaves were often sold to European slavers by African elites, such as chiefs and kings. These leaders captured slaves in raids or as a form of punishment for crimes. However, it was not uncommon for European slavers to engage in kidnapping and other forms of coercion to obtain slaves.
How the get them and why did take them?
The process of capturing slaves in Africa varied depending on the region. In some cases, they were tricked into going to shore to trade while slave catchers lay in hiding . There were times the European slavers would lead inland raids or raids on coastal villages by force.. Once captured, some slavers would brand these individuals, they were then marched in chains. Some slave catchers even would torture victims and rape some women.