- Labor: Africans were forced to work in various labor-intensive industries, such as agriculture, mining, and construction, where their labor was crucial for the economic development of the colonizing powers.
- Trade: The transatlantic slave trade was a lucrative business for European slave traders, who made enormous profits by selling enslaved Africans to plantation owners and other buyers in the Americas.
Social and political reasons:
- Racism and prejudice: Deeply rooted racism and prejudice against African people justified their enslavement and dehumanization. Dominant social and political ideologies portrayed Africans as inferior, making it easier for Europeans to exploit them without moral qualms.
- Colonial expansion: European powers sought to expand their colonial empires and establish control over territories in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and enslaved Africans played a significant role in colonizing these regions and working in the colonies' economies.
Historical context:
- Pre-existing slavery: Slavery already existed in various forms in many parts of the world, and the transatlantic slave trade emerged within this historical context.
- Demand for labor: The rapid expansion of European colonies in the Americas created an urgent need for cheap and abundant labor to support the development of plantations and other economic activities.
- Technological advancements: Advances in navigation techniques and ship technology allowed European explorers to reach Africa more efficiently, facilitating the transportation of large numbers of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic.