How Did Europeans Enslaved African Americans

The economic, social, and psychological reasons which caused Europeans to enslave Africans.

Europeans and Americans enslaved Africans for economic, social and

psychological reasons. In my opinion, the main economic reason that the Europeans and Africans enslaved Africans was because it was cheaper labor. A key social reason was the Americans and Europeans enslaved Africans was because the Europeans had slaves in their homeland and it was socially acceptable. The chief psychological reason was the Europeans and Americans believed the Africans were mentally inferior to them.

The economic reasons the Europeans and Americans enslaved Africans because they did not have enough money to pay the white indentured servants, so therefore it was easier and cheaper to enslave Africans. Also the white indentured servants began to decline as more working-class whites found employment. As the white indentured servants worked off their debt they wanted to be looked at as equal as their owners and to be treated as the Englishmen.

The social reasons in which the Europeans and Americans enslaved Africans was the Europeans had slaves back in their homeland, so therefore it was a common way of life. The
white indentured servants demanded to be treated as Englishmen after they worked off their debt for coming to the "New World". Africans also could not escape from the slavery because they could not easily blend into their surroundings, as could the white indentured servants. Unlike the white indentured servants, Africans were considered as property. Therefore the more property the Europeans and Americans had the more their status in society was elevated.

A psychological reason to enslave Africans was the Europeans and Americans' belief that the Africans were mentally inferior to them.
Although the slaves often outnumbered their owners, psychological factors that kept them enslaved included harsh punishment for running away; physical distance from their homelands; language barriers; and lack of education, which limited opportunities for survival off of the plantation. The Africans could not have easily ran way because they were too far from their homeland so therefore they had no where to go. They also could not speak the language to communicate in order to escape. The Africans were enslaved for such a long period of time that it passed form generation to generation, so therefore it became a common way of
life.

In conclusion, Europeans and Americans enslaved Africans because it was economically more beneficial; increased their social status; and justified their belief that Africans were mentally inferior. Enslaving Africans provided cheaper labor. Indentured servants had become land owners and needed workers for their land, thereby increasing their status socially. Slave owners promoted conditions to keep the slaves psychologically inferior.