Reasons why African slaves were brought to Jamestown:
1. Labor force: The English settlers in Jamestown were in dire need of a reliable and cheap labor force to sustain the colony's economy, which was primarily based on agriculture, particularly the cultivation of tobacco. The use of enslaved African labor was perceived as a solution to the shortage of willing and affordable workers in the colony.
2. Economic motives: The transatlantic slave trade was a highly lucrative business for European traders, including English merchants. The slave trade provided an opportunity for English merchants to profit from the买卖人口 of African people and the exploitation of their labor.
3. Racial superiority: The English colonists held racist views and believed in the inferiority of African people. This mindset justified the enslavement of African people and made it easier for the colonists to treat them as property and use them for forced labor.
4. Legal status: African people were designated as slaves under English common law, which did not recognize them as full citizens or individuals entitled to basic human rights. This legal status allowed for their enslavement and forced labor without legal recourse or protection.