Three ways slave markets received Africans for trading purposes.
1. Captured in wars: African kingdoms were constantly at war with each other, and captives were often sold at slave markets as a means to make profit. These wars were fueled, in part, by European demand for African slaves.
2. Kidnapping: Europeans and Arab traders also employed kidnappers who would capture Africans from their homes or on the roads as they worked or traveled. These kidnappers would then take their captives to the slave markets for sale.
3. Debt slavery: Debt slavery was another way that slaves were acquired for sale in the markets. Africans who could not pay off their debts were often sold into slavery to pay off their debts. In some cases, these individuals were sold by their own family members or community leaders.