Yes, slaves were sometimes set free by their owners (called “manumission”). Owners may also allow the slave to save up money and buy their own freedom. Freed slaves were still not considered full citizens and often had obligations to their former owners. Who were Spartan slaves? They were the helots,Read More →
The arrival of the first captives to the Jamestown Colony, in 1619, is often seen as the beginning of slavery in America—but enslaved Africans arrived in North America as early as the 1500s. Why did Europeans enslave Africans? Historian David Eltis argues that Africans were enslaved because of cultural beliefsRead More →
Escaped slaves made their way to Canada, Mexico and areas of the United States where they could live free. Where did slaves go when they were freed? Most of the millions of slaves brought to the New World went to the Caribbean and South America. An estimated 500,000 were takenRead More →