When European settlers first started their migration to the Western Hemisphere, they found land that was ready for farming. To build this agricultural society, they bought and sold slaves from Africa. Through the detailed text, contemporary and historical images, and informative sidebars, readers get a sense of how complex and dangerous the transatlantic slave trade was in the early years of New World exploration. Powerful quotes from primary sources and scholars bring this painful period in America’s past to life, asking readers to think more critically about history.