What happened that made families become separated for slavery?

Families became separated for slavery primarily due to the transatlantic slave trade, which forcibly transported millions of Africans to the Americas. During this process, individuals were often captured during raids or wars and sold into slavery, leading to the breakdown of family units. Once in the Americas, enslaved people were frequently auctioned off to different owners, further fracturing familial bonds as members were sold to different plantations or regions. Additionally, the legal and social norms of the time dehumanized enslaved individuals, treating them as property rather than family members, exacerbating the separation.