Slave trade abolition

The abolition of the slave trade was the global movement to end the practice of forcibly transporting and selling humans as slaves. Starting in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, many countries, including Britain, the United States, and others, enacted laws banning the transatlantic slave trade due to growing moral, economic, and political opposition. This shift was driven by humanitarian concerns, abolitionist activism, and changing economic systems. Although the trade was officially outlawed, illegal trafficking persisted for some time, but the abolition marked a crucial step toward recognizing human rights and ending institutionalized slavery.