The Origins of Slavery In the early 17th century, the first Africans arrived to an English Colony in America. It remains unknown to this day how the English colonists regarded these people but by the 18th century there was a distinct line between white and black. Although racism did play a role in the development of slavery, the colonists in North America reasons for slavery were economic and racism was used to justify slavery. Slavery …showed first 75 words of 467 total…

…showed last 75 words of 467 total…exist before slavery but it was not as bad as it grew to be after the Africans became slaves. Racism became a justification for putting a whole race in bondage for years with no chance of ever getting out. The real reason for slavery was the white people wanted a cheap labor source so they could profit more and they were willing to put a whole race in bondage and justify it by any means.