Slavery was one of the tragedies that shaped not only American history, but also global history. So what exactly is slavery? Slavery was the legal trade of human beings to be sold for profit. These people who were taken away from their homeland and taken to the United States, Brazil, and some Caribbean islands were forced to do domestic labor and work outside in the fields. Slavery continued throughout the 1500s and into the 1800s. In these 300 years, between 10 and 12 million slaves were transported across the sea to become someone else's property. Many people use the Bible as a justification for slavery, even though the act itself cannot actually be justified. Contrary to popular belief, slavery did not begin in the United States nor was it limited to native black Africans. There were many other ethnicities involved in slavery, although we don't hear about them much. Slavery has existed in almost all countries, on all continents, and in almost all cultures. You can't limit it to just one category. It had started in the 1500s in Spain and Portugal and these two countries led the slavery craze in the New World. While slavery was a worldwide devastation, slavery in the New World was a little more gruesome. The United States received the fewest African slaves, but the conditions in which they arrived were horrendous. Slaves were captured and kidnapped off the coast of Africa by British colonists. Some Africans were even sold or traded by other Africans. These hostages were exchanged for things such as: firearms, cloth, and metal tools. After being captured, British colonists chained future slaves around their necks, feet, hands, and sometimes each other. This prevention......middle of paper......cisma in the South was fundamental. Many blacks would still be killed and murdered just for being black. In conclusion, slavery was one of, if not the most tragic things to be brought to the face of humanity. It wasn't moral and many people used the Bible as justification. Slavery made history. It made us understand what human beings are capable of and the mistreatment we can give to others who are not the same color as us, speak the same language or come from the same places as us. Being a slave was a very harsh experience. Those who made it out alive probably faced more racism being free than being someone else's property. Slavery demonstrated to the world that justice has evolved immensely. It is now illegal to possess another being and force them to work for someone else. It wasn't a fair life they lived and most of them didn't make it out alive.