5. High Mortality and Replacement Rates
The brutal conditions on Brazilian plantations—especially the sugar and later coffee estates—resulted in extremely high mortality rates for enslaved Africans. Unlike in the U.S., where the enslaved population eventually grew through natural increase, Brazil’s enslaved workforce was constantly depleted by harsh labor, disease, and poor living conditions. This relentless attrition required a steady stream of new captives to sustain the economy. Read about Brazil’s harsh slave conditions.
