Do you believe that Europeans were the ones that started slavery?

Question

As another portion to the discussion with my students regarding black vs. African American, I'd like to know how many people realize that slave trade to America was not started by the Europeans or Americans, but by Africans. If one were to look through African writings as far back as you can find (and I have), slavery was commonplace well before Europeans started trading with them. The movement of the slave trade from Africa to America was simply a matter of logistics.

It could even be argued that ancestors of slaves taken to the U.S. have it much better than ancestors of slaves that remain in Africa. Should you visit the continent in the more remote regions you might even agree.

I am making the assumption that you are willing to do a little research on this before you answer instead of simply playing the 'blame game'.

Answer 1

If you're talking about the ones that started "slavery", I could not gave you the exact answer because the answers are vary. But, we could say that slavery started during the Ancient Egyptian Civilization. Nevertheless, almost all civilization practiced slavery including Ancient China, Mesopotamia, India and etc...

These traditions goes from time to time until the day where Islam is born with Muhammad SAW as the messenger. During this time, Islam also permitted slavery but they're treated like our family. We gave them clothes, foods, place for livings, and we even protect them.

If you're referring to Europeans, we could track back during the Dark Age. When Europe is the slowest moving civilization compared to Egyptians with pyramids, China with Great Wall, and even Islam during Abbasid and Ottoman reign where Islam is the BEST civilization ever born on earth. Yes, during Dark Age, where feudalisme starts and slavery back to its past history. Slaves in Europe are being treated more or less like Egyptian slaves.

This tradition continues until the fall of Islam Empire, where Europeans created a new kind of trading; "Slave tradings" as a complement to "Herbs & Spices tradings". This poor treated slavery practice become more important during the Age of Discovery where Europeans fight for new lands. As one way, to chase out the natives or original tribes on that land, they're captured and being sold as slaves across Europe and Liverpool is one the most popular dock for selling humans !.

The question here is more on moral values, we could say that Europeans are being modernized and educated through Reinassance, so why they want to practiced slavery as similar as past civilization ? Why Europeans don't want to follow Islamic ways on treating slaves ? Because, they could not stand that Islam is the only religion that makes everyone is same and what makes the difference between them is their practices to God.

Answer 2

Someone said that slavery was before the African American slavery, but they were not treated as bad!!! good GOD, what kind of trash is that. A slave is a slave, and they were all treated bad. How would you like it when your master tells you how to live, and work all day long, and do whatever they want you to do, even be their unwilling mate! You have to work hard, with very if no reward, so maybe, just maybe you can buy your freedom from you owner, your master! they were treated better!?!? bull. ALL slaves by definition are and were treated badly, and they are still treated bad.

butterfly, fly away little girl and do some research before you post anything.

Slavery was around before the Europeans slavery or the America was ever created, during the Egyptian Pharaohs, and possible before that. Before Biblical times, there were slaves. The Arab had slaves, and still do. In Sudan for examples, they still have slaves. In Saudi, they bring girls from places like Russia, as sex slaves. The Prophet of Islam had slaves, and the girls they called them concubines. Maybe changing the word, make it sound a little better. Slavery has been around much long before the European and the American, and still is in existence today. don't be shock it is true. We say how wrong it is, and we still have around, live and kicking. God Help us all.

Answer 3

Slavery has been around for ages –
Ancient Egypt – Feudal Japan/China – Middle Ages/Dark Ages Europe

Every since the invention of money there has been slavery or human trade

Rich owned money and land but did not want to work so they had servants or slaves to do it for them. Some we paid low wages and some only received the honour of living on the lord’s lands (hence landlord). The pyramids were built by slaves, the great wall of china were built by people who “had” to build it. During the dark ages – captives were often turning into slaves (serving girls, wenches, workers, live pit fighters). Even the American Indians when battles were over sometime took “slaves”

However there are difference in the way some slaves were treated in American Indians the slaves become part of the family, in Egypt hard work no pay and harsh punishments, in Europe harsh punishments, lifetime of servitude, traded as a commodity, Asia lifetime of servitude, but had own life but owed everything to landlord.

So slavery has been around since money and wealth were created, it took many forms and varied greatly.

It just that when slavery in America occurred it was at a time when social politics and human rights were being developed. America was seen as a civilized country and slavery was inhuman and uncivilized. So it was unpopular with some even though it was part of the early culture. So it was just starting to be seen as bad and terrible in America. America just made it unpopular.

Answer 4

The ancient Egyptians had slaves, the Jews of Biblical times had slaves, the Arabs had slaves, some African tribes had slaves. I don't think slavery is right, but it was around before the Europeans.

Answer 5

Actually slavery has started in eygypt(africa) thats how they made those temples rather pyramids thats were it was first started thousands of years ago... and then there was slavery in india they (light skinned( indians were racist to dark skinned indians and thought they were better so they used them as slaves. The now on to europe, is when explores discovered different races with darker skin (blacks) they used them as slaves... now today there is still slavery only in third world countries still rare to be found but it does happen.. in the ''under ground''

Answer 6

i have not done any in depth research actually on this subject...although i do believe i have heard something similar to what you are saying as far as how the "white" or "americans" didnt start the slavery...however how long is this gonna be a matter in our lives? the point is slavery happened and it was horrible and not to mention the entire world just as myself are not going to go and research this issue to the point that you claim to have done! besides even if 85% of the world were to find out that their facts were untrue they wouldnt buy it not even for one minute because people have thought a certain way for too long

Answer 7

Slavery was around in the times of Ancient Egypt and the pharoes (not sure how to spell it) how else did the pyramids get built.

The bible mentions slave girls & servants also

Answer 8

No. Slavery was started back in the bible times, but they weren't treated as badly as African-Americans were treated in America or other countries that participated in slavery. They were called indentured servents who worked for the person for a number of years in return for land or money or whatever they agreeded to.

Answer 9

Slavery existed in the middle east and Egypt long before the euros were a power, when the euros were still tribal.

Answer 10

Yes I have been aware of this for many years,but liberals don't like to acknowledge the fact.