Chattel Slavery

Chattel slavery is a system in which individuals are treated as property and can be bought, sold, or owned outright. Unlike other forms of servitude, such as indentured labor, chattel slaves have no legal rights and their status is inherited by their children. This dehumanizing practice was prominent in various societies, notably in the Americas from the 16th to the 19th centuries, where enslaved people were forced to work in agriculture, especially on plantations. Chattel slavery denies basic human dignity and freedom, and its legacy has had long-lasting social and economic impacts.