Africa is perhaps the most diverse continent on the planet. Every skin color exists in Africa and the continent is home to thousands of ethnic groups.
Slavery existed in Africa long before the Europeans arrived. As the Europeans made slavery about race, slavery in Africa was about kinship. Slaves were often taken during wars and raids, when people were cut off from family members. Someone without family was considered a "non-person."
Women made up the majority of slaves in this system, and were used for domestic service and agriculture. Sometimes slaves served as soldiers and some even had high status.
The spread of trade into sub-Saharan Africa resulted in more raids and slaves being exported out of Africa into the Middle East and Asia, especially among Arab merchants. The growth of slavery due to trade resulted in an increase of slavery on the continent.
This would only increase once the Europeans turned slavery into a global economic system---a system that would be justified on new ideas about race.
Slavery existed in Africa long before the Europeans arrived. As the Europeans made slavery about race, slavery in Africa was about kinship. Slaves were often taken during wars and raids, when people were cut off from family members. Someone without family was considered a "non-person."
Women made up the majority of slaves in this system, and were used for domestic service and agriculture. Sometimes slaves served as soldiers and some even had high status.
The spread of trade into sub-Saharan Africa resulted in more raids and slaves being exported out of Africa into the Middle East and Asia, especially among Arab merchants. The growth of slavery due to trade resulted in an increase of slavery on the continent.
This would only increase once the Europeans turned slavery into a global economic system---a system that would be justified on new ideas about race.