What system helped slavery take root in the colonies?

The system of transatlantic slave trade played a crucial role in establishing slavery in the colonies. European colonists relied on enslaved Africans for labor to cultivate cash crops like tobacco, sugar, and cotton, which were highly profitable. This demand led to the development of a brutal system of chattel slavery, where enslaved individuals were considered property and subjected to harsh conditions. Legal frameworks, such as slave codes, further institutionalized slavery and dehumanized enslaved people, entrenching the system in colonial society.