Slaves

Definition

Slaves are individuals who are owned by other people, known as slave owners. They are forced to work without consent and without any personal rights or freedoms.

Related terms

Middle Passage: The sea journey undertaken by slave ships from West Africa to the West Indies.

Abolitionism: The movement to end slavery, which gained momentum in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 declaring all slaves in Confederate territory free (effective as of January 1, 1863).