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The Transatlantic Slave Trade occurred from the 16th to the 19th century and involved the forced transportation of millions of African men, women, and children across the Atlantic Ocean to work as slaves on plantations in the Americas. European traders established contact with African leaders and began to buy and transport African slaves to the Americas to meet the demand for cheap labor on sugar, tobacco, and cotton plantations.

Slaves were captured by African slave traders or sold into slavery by African chiefs who often waged wars specifically to capture slaves. They were then taken to coastal forts and exchanged for goods, such as guns, textiles, and rum, by European traders. Once aboard the slave ships, slaves were often subjected to horrific conditions, including overcrowding, disease, and malnutrition. Many died during the journey, which could take several months.

Upon arrival in the Americas, slaves were sold at auctions and forced to work on plantations for their entire lives. They were often subjected to brutal treatment, including beatings, torture, and sexual abuse. Families were torn apart, and children were taken from their parents and sold to other plantations.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade is estimated to have involved the forced transportation of over 12 million Africans to the Americas, with millions dying during the journey or while working on plantations. It is one of the most significant and shameful events in human history, and its legacy continues to be felt in many parts of the world today