What contributed to the increased demand for slaves during the colonial period?

The increased demand for slaves during the colonial period was significantly driven by the rise of monoculture plantations. This farming practice focused on the cultivation of a single cash crop, such as sugar, tobacco, or cotton, which became highly profitable in the colonial economies. Monoculture required intensive labor to manage large tracts of land effectively and to maximize production for export. Slavery provided a solution to this labor demand, as enslaved individuals were forced to work tirelessly on plantations, leading to increased agricultural output.

The focus on these cash crops created a dependency on slave labor, as plantation owners sought to maximize profits with minimal investment in labor costs. This reliance on enslaved workers became institutionalized, shaping economic, social, and political structures in the colonies, and contributing to the expansion of the transatlantic slave trade to meet the labor needs arising from this agricultural shift.