The first enslaved Africans (jan 1, 1490 – jan 1, 1510)

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During their early explorations the Portugese and Spanish used Native American peoples as forced labourers in their quickly established Encomienda system (akin to vassal slavery) but soon encountered high death tolls in the indigenous population due to diseases brought by themselves and the hard labour.
Due to this they quickly resorted to transporting African slaves over the Atlantic to work on plantations and fields.
Early African slaves mainly came from West and West Central Africa and were seen as sturdier and more suited to hard labour.

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