This paper examines the institution, practice and effects of slavery in the United States. The paper begins with a thorough
explanation of how slavery began and its roots in
indentured servitude. Then the paper traces the process of the slave trade, with exacting detail about the conditions and
treatment slaves faced on their voyage from Africa. The paper also discusses the buying and selling of slaves once they arrived in America and the varying treatment they received from their masters. Also explored is the labor they performed and conditions in which they lived and worked. Next, the paper examines the impact of slavery on the psyche of slaves, as individuals, families and communities. The paper concludes with a discussion of the Civil War and the ultimate dissolution of the institution of slavery by President Lincoln.