How did the slave ship manage the get so many captive africans?

Slave ships acquired captive Africans primarily through the transatlantic slave trade, where European traders established trade relationships with African kingdoms and tribes. These traders often exchanged goods for enslaved individuals, who were captured in local conflicts or raids. Additionally, some African leaders participated in the slave trade, selling prisoners of war or those in debt to European traders, thus facilitating the capture and transport of large numbers of enslaved people to the Americas. This brutal system dehumanized countless individuals and contributed to the expansion of slavery across the Atlantic.