2. Definition
Slavery is when one
person has absolute
power over another and
controls his life and
fortune.
A slave is usually forced
into hard work and labour
against their will and has
restricted freedom.
3. When did it start?
Europe
In Russia, slavery
remained a major
institution until 1723.
In the Second World War
(1939-1945), Nazi
Germany enslaved around
America
12 million people. shipped
Slaves began being
from Africa to North America in
the 1600s.
4. When did it start?
Africa
There is some evidence, like
prehistoric graves, that
suggest slavery began around
8000BC in lower Egypt.
In Senegambia around one
third of the population were
enslaved between 1300 and
1900
In Sierra Leone about half of
the population were enslaved
5. How and why did
it start?
In Africa, slavery began
because different tribes would
fight each other and the
winning tribe would choose
whether to kill the other tribe
or have them as their slaves.
Slavery in America was in
some ways similar to slavery
in Africa, but the only
6. What conditions were
slaves kept in?
Slaves barely had any food
compared to the amount of
work they had to do.
They only had a couple of
pieces of clothing to last a
whole working season.
For sleeping, they would have
to sleep on the floor with just
a blanket.
The dirt on the floor would
7. Facts
•Many owners stole slaves
from each other so they used
to brand their slaves with an
iron on their arm or chest so
they could identify them as
their property.
•Slaves who died in the ‘Middle
Passage’ (crossing the Atlantic
from Africa) on ships were just
thrown off the ship without
any ceremony or last rites.
•To stop slaves from initiating
8. Facts
•Some slaves would kill their
own children so that they
wouldn’t have to experience
the horrors of slavery.
•One slave, Moses Roper, was
caught trying to escape. As
punishment he had tar poured
onto his face and then his face
was set on fire. The following
Sunday, he was forced to carry
50 pound weights around with
9. When did it end?
In America, slavery supposedly
ended in 1863 when the
Emancipation Proclamation was
signed by Abraham Lincoln during
the American Civil War. This
ordered the armed forces to free
all that were still enslaved in 10
states that were still in rebellion,
applying to 3.1 out of 4 million
slaves. For the rest, the army took
control of their regions and
emancipated them instead of
returning them to their masters.
