Racism and greed were two ways that slave owners justified enslaving Africans. They also thought that Africans were not very smart.
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Slaveowners justified enslaving Africans by promoting racist ideologies that deemed African people as inferior and better suited for servitude. They also used economic arguments, claiming that slavery was necessary for the economy and that Africans were better off enslaved. Additionally, they often cited legal and religious justifications to control and exploit African labor.
Europeans justified enslaving Africans by portraying them as inferior and uncivilized, arguing that it was their duty to "civilize" them. This ideology was supported by the belief in white superiority and the idea that Africans were not fully human. Economic interests, such as the need for cheap labor to support industries and plantations, also played a significant role in justifying the enslavement of Africans.
Fontaine justifies enslaving the Negroes by arguing that it is their duty to civilize and Christianize them, claiming that they are helping them by providing them with work and a sense of purpose. He also mentions that their labor contributes to the economic success of the colony.
Europeans justified using Africans as slaves by dehumanizing them, believing they were inferior and lacking civilization. They portrayed Africans as exotic, savage, and uncivilized people who needed to be civilized through slavery. This allowed Europeans to exploit Africans for labor and economic gain without guilt.
Europeans justified the enslavement of Africans through racist ideologies that portrayed Africans as inferior and in need of "civilizing." They also argued that slavery was necessary for economic prosperity and that Africans were better off as slaves in European colonies. These justifications helped perpetuate the transatlantic slave trade and the brutal exploitation of Africans for centuries.
The Portuguese justification for enslaving the Guanche of the Canary Islands was based on the idea that they were not Christians and therefore could be enslaved as infidels. This rationale was commonly employed during the Age of Discovery to justify the enslavement of indigenous peoples who were seen as outside the bounds of European Christian society.