The general notion of slavery is normally associated with a negative and troubling connotation. It is a story that many are not proud to talk about in today's society as it presents cruel and chilling realities of how individuals were treated based on distinct attributes over which they had no control; claim people as property, rather than as human beings. The treatment and practice of slavery on African Americans is demonstrated to a large extent in the Atlantic slave trade and “intra-African” slavery and/or servitude. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The idea behind the transatlantic slave trade began around the mid-15th century, when Portuguese traders came down the coast of West Africa in search of gold production. However, they soon became interested in the idea of ​​capturing individuals to use as slaves, as they saw advantages in bringing them to Europe for their own personal gain. Consequently this was seen by other European groups, such as the English and French, who then followed Portugal's lead and began to expand overseas. Unfortunately, the influx of slave trading that began to emerge caused the beginning of a harsh new reality for African American peoples. As the enslavement of other individuals became of greater concern to European countries, it slowly turned into an epidemic with the association of slavery and blackness. Soon the issue was no longer one of obtaining labor, but rather the realization that those who were not of European descent were inferior. The Atlantic slave trade showed clear tendencies towards conflation between those considered slaves and the sense of ownership. Indeed, slaves were often dismissed as human beings and were seen as a sense of demonstrating ownership, as the more slaves a master acquired, the more he was seen as having a greater amount of wealth. This is a clear conflict with how the objective of slaves was seen in the concept of “intra-African” slavery. The practice of servitude in Africa by African American populations was originally due only to “warring groups taking prisoners,” as stated by Donald R. Wright in his work entitled “Slavery in Africa.” In many cases, both the trader and the slave would be of African origin, but would normally be from different ethnic groups. The color of an individual's skin did not have much say in those who were slaves, as the whole concept was contemplated more as a corporate contraction. Those of darker skin were not seen as a “lesser” race, it was based on whether or not someone was a slave, and that was it. Slave owners also did not put much effort into limiting the social mobility of those enslaved. This differed from that of the Europeans as they felt the need to exert a stronger hold on their slaves both physically and spiritually; the need to quell the potential for rebellion was of great concern and this was just more entrenched white supremacy. Trade within Europe was strictly restricted in terms of numerous laws and policies as many times people did not leave voluntarily and also did not have the option to leave their slave status. Furthermore, there was a clear classification of slaves as chattels without real substantive rights; this is also what has led to the common name of “chattel slavery” where a slave is simply seen as the property of his master whom he serves. Yeshe saw in the way slaves were transported aboard ships. They were often placed, naked, on straw mattresses and held in place by iron chains. Slave degradation was also particularly prevalent in the treatment of female slaves who were subjected to cruel means of abuse as it was "common for filthy sailors to take African women and lie on their bodies", stated by Ottobah Cugoano. Those who were carried forward in the transatlantic slave trade were considered slaves for eternity as were their children and grandchildren. Within the “intra-African” trade, the focus was much more on the individual as people placed themselves into voluntary servitude due to various circumstances such as indebtedness, famine and crime. However, individuals could lose their forms of freedom if they committed a crime, to which they could then become slaves. The distinctions between the two professions were also reflected in what were considered cultural norms at the time. In the early days of African societies, when slavery was emerging, they found ways to keep traditions alive through word of mouth and individual “kinship” (blood relationship) according to Donald R. Wright. They could also play roles in the royal court as advisors or administrators if they were considered wise. In general, early slavery in Africa was not as restrictive in terms of a person's rights and ability to be relieved of their slave status. Although the European slave trade and “intra-African” slavery had numerous differences in their practices, they also had similarities regarding some focal areas. While slavery itself is not a viable practice in today's society, at the time it occurred, it presented advantages to those engaged in trade because otherwise they would not have traded in the first place. Europeans benefited from the raw materials they were able to bring abroad from Africa, which helped at the time of the industrial revolution. They saw Africa as a gold mine of resources that they wanted to benefit from at any cost. This only broadened the concept of slavery and those who participated in it. However, the primary driver for both slave trades was the search for greater access to labor. Both Africans and Europeans gained greater sources of labor with the idleness of slaves and were able to carry out greater workloads with more people at their disposal. The demand for labor was a real push to continue with slavery. Additionally, in both trades, slaves often displayed a person's wealth and social hierarchy as it was known that those who had a larger sum of money were able to have the ability to obtain and keep more slaves on their plantations. However, with all the movements of people in both trade landscapes, there is a clear loss of the core traditions and cultural beliefs that once belonged to the African diaspora. According to the author of “Identity Roots,” there was “a conscious effort on the part of slave owners to remove the identity of slaves,” which unfortunately only contributed to the degradation of African culture. African Americans did their best in trying to keep their sense of identity alive by spreading their culture through folk stories, minor traditions, and songs. However, it was still difficult for them to maintain a foundation due to the constant movement of their people and families. This also provides a representation of how slavery can have a detrimental and consistently diminishing effect on people and their cultures over such a long period of time. Please note: this is just an example. Get one now.