Slave

Slave is a term used to describe a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them. Slavery has been practiced in many cultures throughout history, and it continues to exist in some parts of the world today.

History of Slavery

Slavery has been practiced since the earliest civilizations. In Ancient Egypt, slaves were used for manual labor and as servants for the wealthy. The Roman Empire also made extensive use of slaves, who were captured in war or bought from slave traders. Slavery was also prevalent in the Middle Ages, particularly in the Islamic world and in Medieval Europe.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade in the 15th to 19th centuries involved the mass enslavement and transportation of millions of African people to the Americas and the European colonies. This period saw the development of chattel slavery, where slaves were treated as personal property that could be bought, sold, or given away.

Abolition of Slavery

The abolitionist movement in the 18th and 19th centuries sought to end slavery. In the United States, the American Civil War was fought in part over the issue of slavery, and the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 declared slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free. Slavery was officially abolished in the U.S. with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865.

In the United Kingdom, the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 ended slavery in most British colonies, freeing more than 800,000 enslaved Africans in the Caribbean and South Africa as well as a small number in Canada.

Modern Slavery

Despite the abolition of slavery in many parts of the world, forms of slavery continue to exist today. This includes forced labor, human trafficking, and child labor. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are over 40 million people in modern slavery worldwide.

See Also

• History of Slavery
• Abolitionist Movement
• Transatlantic Slave Trade
• Modern Slavery

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