1. Slave Labor: Europeans sought cheap and coerced labor to work in various sectors, including agriculture (sugar, coffee, cotton plantations), mining, and construction.
2. Plantation Economy: The establishment of cash-crop plantations in the Americas required a large workforce, prompting the increased demand for African slaves.
3. Capitalist System: The rise of capitalism and merchant trade incentivized the slave trade as a lucrative business.
Political and Social Factors:
1. Colonial Expansion and Control: Europeans sought to dominate and exploit the resources of the New World, and African slaves were seen as a means of controlling the indigenous population and securing their hold on the colonies.
2. Social Hierarchy: In European societies, African slavery became ingrained in the hierarchical social structure, with individuals of African descent viewed as inferior and suitable for servile labor.
3. Religious Justifications: Some European colonists used religious beliefs and doctrines to justify the enslavement of Africans, claiming it was their Christian duty to "civilize" and convert them.
Racism and Prejudice:
1. Racist Attitudes: Europeans held racist beliefs about African people, considering them inferior and suitable only for manual labor. These prejudiced views underpinned the slave trade and perpetuated its continuation.
It is important to emphasize that the transatlantic slave trade was a brutal and inhumane practice driven by economic greed and racist ideologies, and it had devastating consequences for African societies and the lives of millions of enslaved individuals.