Slavery began in America in 1619 when twenty African American slaves were brought ashore by a Dutch ship. In North America, European settlers began turning to African American slaves during the 17th century. This was mainly because they represented a cheaper and larger supply of labor than indentured servants, who were mostly the poorest Europeans. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe United States eventually ended up importing so many slaves that some historians have even estimated that six to seven million African American slaves were imported into the United States in the 18th century alone. Because of this, the African continent lost many of its healthiest, most efficient and capable men and women. Most African American slaves lived on the South Coast working on indigo, tobacco, or rice plantations during the 17th and 18th centuries. The Fight The end of slavery began soon after the American Revolution, when many colonists began calling for the abolition of slavery. Most colonists who wanted the abolition of slavery came from the North, where slavery was not important to the economy. They believed that slavery should be abolished because they began to compare the way African American slaves were treated to the way the English had treated them during their rule. After the revolution, however, the constitution recognized the idea of ​​slavery. The Constitution, for purposes of taxation and a state's representation in Congress, counted each slave in each state as three-fifths of a person. It also guaranteed the right to recover any person who was previously “required into service or work.” More than a third of the population in the southern part of the United States were African American slaves. Large plantations and small farms were where most slaves lived, and most slave owners owned fewer than fifty slaves. Slaves had a system of restricted codes that governed their lives and slave owners sought to make their slaves dependent only on them. Slaves were usually prevented from learning to read and write, and their movements and behaviors were also limited. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Many African American slave women were used for sexual purposes by their masters. If the slaves were obedient they were rewarded with favors and if they were rebellious or disobedient they were punished brutally. Masters attempted to maintain a strict hierarchy among African American slaves. This served to keep the slaves divided so they were less likely to stage revolts against their master.