it implies the outright ownership of the slave by a master.
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Black chattel slavery was unique in that it was based on the idea that slaves were considered legal property that could be bought, sold, and inherited. Enslaved individuals had no legal rights and were treated as commodities. This system was also characterized by its racial basis, with enslaved people typically being of African descent.
The term chattel means property. Indentured servitude means I own your labor for a set number of years. Chattel slavery means I own you, and can buy you, sell you, or do anything I want to you.
Chattel slavery is a form of slavery where individuals are treated as personal property, bought and sold as commodities. In other forms of forced labor, individuals may be working under duress or coercion but are not considered property. Chattel slavery typically involves complete ownership and control over the enslaved individual's life and labor.
The slave is considered chattel - property - to be bought and sold in perpetuity like livestock. Once an individual becomes a chattel slave they are considered chattel for life. Not all forms of forced labor doom a person to slavery until the day they die. Many of them are only for a fixed period of time or until a fixed debt has been redeemed. Children born to chattel slaves are considered the property of the "owner" of the chattel slave just like a calf is the property of the owner of the cow. No other form of forced labor passes that status/lifetime-obligation down to the children.
Slavery has been practiced for thousands of years and was prevalent in various civilizations throughout history. In the United States, chattel slavery existed from the early 17th century until the end of the Civil War in 1865. However, forms of slavery still exist in different parts of the world today.
The enslavement of Africans in the 17th century was different from previous forms of slavery in that it was based on race, with Africans being specifically targeted for bondage. This racialized form of slavery led to the development of the transatlantic slave trade, where millions of Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas to work on plantations. Additionally, African slaves in this period were often subjected to harsher treatment and enduring chattel slavery, meaning they were treated as property for life.