How were chattel slaves viewed?

Chattel slaves were viewed as property rather than human beings, legally treated as commodities that could be bought, sold, and owned. This dehumanization was justified by racist ideologies that considered enslaved individuals inferior and denied them basic rights and freedoms. Their status as chattel meant that they were subjected to brutal conditions and exploitation, with little regard for their wellbeing or humanity. This perspective was deeply embedded in the legal and social systems of societies that practiced slavery.