1. Sheer Scale of the Sugar Economy
Brazil’s booming sugar plantations in the 16th and 17th centuries required enormous amounts of manual labor. Vast sugar mills stretched across coastal regions, fueling a relentless demand for enslaved Africans. In contrast, the early U.S. economy relied on smaller farms and fewer cash crops, limiting the scale of slave imports. Brazil’s sugar-driven labor needs set it apart, making it the primary destination for enslaved Africans in the Americas. Read more about Brazil’s colonial economy.
