2. Early Start in Slave Importation
Portugal’s involvement in the Atlantic slave trade began in the early 1500s, making Brazil the first major slave society in the Americas.
Centuries before North American colonies ramped up slave imports, Brazilian plantations were already reliant on African labor. This head start meant that Brazil had a longer and deeper engagement with slavery, shaping its society and economy from the outset. Learn more about Brazil’s early slave history.
