y were the african americans slaves and not the europeans,?

Answer 1

The Europeans had the large states required to maintain a large and well-armed military, while Africa at the time did not, so it was relatively easy for the Europeans to impose their will on them. Firearms, steel swords and oceangoing ships made the slave trade possible.

Answer 2

In the early history of the United States (that is, the colonies that would later become the United States), slaves and indentured servants included Europeans as well as Africans. Whites who ran away from their masters could often blend in with the free population. Blacks did not have that option in a mostly white society. A strictly race-based system of slavery developed partly as a result of that reality.

That is just a small part of a large picture. The whole shameful story of slavery in the U.S. is too vast and complex to detail here. You can ask a teacher or librarian to recommend good books and articles on the subject. And don't be disheartened by the cruelty and stupidity of racist whites who minimize the evil of slavery or sneer at African-American experiences and concerns.

Answer 3

You should read Guns, Germs and Steel. It basically explains why Europeans dominated the World instead of Native Americans, Africans, Australian Aborigines or Asiatic peoples.

Basically Europeans had access to a great variety of crops which allowed them to create "specialists" people who dont grow food like warriors, priests, kings etc. This helped create the first societies after agriculture commenced.

After which Europeans domesticated animals. Other peoples did this too like Africans with the cow and the Chinese with the pig, yak and these connections with animals made humans immune to animal diseases like smallpox. Native Americans lacked this because these animals didnt exist on the Americas before the European arrivals. The largest animal domesticated was the Llama which wasnt as useful as the horse because the llama can't support a human being. It's only a pack animal.

Going back to you African question Europeans had the skills that would allow them to traverse the world's oceans. When they conquered Native Americans the people died in large numbers because they lacked immunity to European diseases and lacked European weapons and iron based weapons. Europeans needed people to do the work for them so they bought slaves off West African kings and chieftains for European items like guns, tobacco and alcohol.

So you see, European dominance of the Old World and their Conquest of the New world allowed them to do this.

For more info read Guns, Germs and Steel in your local library

Answer 4

Some Europeans were the ones WITH slaves

Answer 5

All civilizations had their taste of slavery at one point in history.

Black Africans captured poor tribesmen and sold their fellow black Africans as slaves to the Europeans.

The Egyptians took Hebrew slaves 6,000 B.C.
The Romans tooks Greeks as slaves in 195 B.C.
The Romans took Germans slaves in 64 A.D.
The Arabs took black Africans as slaves in 600 A.D.
Portugeese paid black Africans for black African slaves in the 1300s.

After the 1300s only the Portugeese and Arabs had a thriving slave trade which well after 1492 did Northern Europeans purchase slaves from the Portugeese and Arabs.

Massachusetts outlawed slavery in 1755!
Saudi Arabia outlawed slavery in 1965!

Answer 6

For centuries Europeans were sold as slaves in a variety of African and Asian markets, notably Cairo. Only after about the 15th century does the situation reverse itself.

Answer 7

The Europeans came of their own free will. After establishing themselves as 'Americans', they went to Africa and forced the African people to come here and did not allow them freedom to live like everyone else. The Europeans were free to do whatever they pleased with their lives. The Africans could only do what their 'masters' would allow them to do.

Answer 8

There were. When the English were colonizing Jamestown England sent poor-class people 2 Jamestown on crowed ships with unsanitary food. The English made them slaves 2 higher- class colonized people. They were later called Indentured Servants that worked the tobbacco fields.
They soon revolted, especially the determined Servant Bacon. He went in rage and burned most of Jamestown 2 the ground. Was called Bacon's Rebellion.

Answer 9

the europeans had more power and like started and owned most of the know america and these traders had to stop and get food for the rest journey and they had african americans on their ship and they traded the africans for food but also tabacco was becoming very popular and they had to keep up with the demands and they traded the africans who were already in captivity and were going to be sold as slaves anyways to help with their "cash crop" (tabacco)

hope this helps

Answer 10

well, they were easy targets and sold by their own countrymen. they were not americans yet though, the europeans were a bit more armed too, but most of the slaves were taken or caught and trapped then sent to virginia , keeping it in mind that the slaveships and people operating them were owned/paid for/by/the rothchilds of europe, the movie amastadt ( i hope i spelled it right) is a very good film to see, and i feel it is very close to what really happened