1. European slave traders: Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, Dutch, and Danish traders were involved in the slave trade, transporting enslaved Africans from Africa to the Americas and Europe.
2. African rulers and elites: Some African rulers and elites participated in the slave trade by capturing and selling their own people to European traders. They often used the wealth gained from the slave trade to consolidate their power and expand their territories.
3. African societies and ethnic groups: Various African societies and ethnic groups were involved in the slave trade, either as captors or as victims of enslavement. Some groups were more actively involved in the slave trade than others.
4. Enslaved Africans: The enslaved Africans were, of course, the main participants in the slave trade. They were forcibly taken from their homes and communities in Africa and transported across the Atlantic to the Americas and Europe, where they were sold and forced to work in various labor sectors, including agriculture, mining, and domestic service.
5. Native Americans: Native American communities in the Americas were also impacted by the slave trade, as they were sometimes enslaved alongside Africans. Additionally, the diseases and violence associated with the slave trade often had devastating effects on Native American populations.