The demand for increased slave labor in the sixteenth century was due to the dramatic expansion of
A) the Portuguese spice trade.
B) colonization of the Americas, which spurred the growth of the sugar industry.
C) with the Ottoman empire's blockade of the Silk Road, dependence on cotton was shifted to the Americas.
D) the elimination of the Portuguese from east Africa.
E) the declaration of the Treaty of Tordesillas giving the Portuguese dominion over Africa.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Colonization of the Americas, which spurred the growth of the sugar industry, led to an increased demand for slave labor in the sixteenth century. The labor-intensive process of cultivating, harvesting, and processing sugar required large amounts of cheap labor, leading European powers to turn to the slave trade to meet their growing workforce needs.

The Demand for Increased Slave Labor in the Sixteenth Century