Why did the portuguese and other europeans want slaves??
Plz help
Why else have people ever wanted slaves? To do the work for them.
the reason Portuguese and other Europeans wanted slaves because it filled he need for cheap labor
The Portuguese, along with other Europeans, wanted slaves primarily for economic reasons, as the demand for labor in their colonies grew. Slavery provided a cheap and abundant workforce that they believed would enable them to exploit the resources of their colonies more efficiently. There were several factors that contributed to this desire for slaves:
1. Labor-intensive industries: The European colonies in the Americas relied heavily on labor-intensive industries like mining, agriculture (particularly sugar, tobacco, coffee, and cotton), and plantation farming. Slavery provided a ready source of labor to work in these industries.
2. Profitability: Slavery was seen as a highly profitable venture because it allowed Europeans to extract valuable resources from the colonies at a minimal cost. By acquiring slaves, European colonists could maximize their profits and economic dominance.
3. Indigenous population decline: When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they brought diseases to which the indigenous populations had no immunity, resulting in widespread epidemics and population decline. As the indigenous populations dwindled, European colonists turned to African slaves as a replacement workforce.
4. Racial hierarchy and power dynamics: Europeans believed in the superiority of their own culture and saw Africans as inferior. This racial hierarchy provided a moral justification for slave trade and slavery, as Europeans considered themselves more entitled to benefit from the labor of Africans.
To understand this historical context and the motivations behind European colonial practices, it is important to explore various historical sources such as primary documents, scholarly works, and historical accounts from multiple perspectives. Through these sources, you can gain a broader understanding of the complex factors that led to the demand for slaves by the Portuguese and other Europeans.