Racial attitudes
Entrenched racism among Europeans meant that slavery took on a racial tone. Ideas of racial differences made it easier to justify slavery. The enslavement of Africans was justified by the belief that Africans were inferior to Europeans.
Several ideas from the time supported the enslavement of Africans:
- Europeans saw African people as more suited to work on the plantations
- It was argued that captive African people would be executed if the slave trade was abolished
- Some suggested that enslaved African people benefitted from being looked after by 'superior' Europeans