The purpose of this research assignment is to investigate slavery, although called by other names in the 21st century, such as human trafficking and cheap labor, and the reasons why it has managed to prevail through the centuries. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary (2011), slavery can be defined as submission to a controlling influence or the state of a person being a chattel of another person. The Collins English Dictionary (2018) defines slavery as a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls their life, liberty and future. Slavery isn't just something we read about in history books, it's still very much around today. According to the International Labor Organization (2018) approximately 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. However, slavery is not something new, it has been around as long as man has existed on earth. The Bible refers to slavery: 'Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.'. In ancient Rome, slavery was an important resource for building the economy. According to Kreber (2015) workers were considered private property, they had no rights or any form of income. These workers worked the land and served their masters in their families and are the foundation and reason for the development of the economy and the construction of ancient cultures. Hornsby (1999) states that historians believe the first signs of slavery date back to 10,000 years BC; these slaves were criminals and prisoners of war kidnapped and used as agricultural laborers. The Transatlantic Slave Trade was one of the largest and most well-known episodes of slavery in our history and took place across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th to the 19th centuries. According to Wyatt (2009) these slaves were taken primarily from West Africa and transported by ship across the ocean to the Americas. Millions of people were sold into slavery, including those who died on the ship to the Americas, "...Between 1500 and 1800, Europeans transported approximately 12 million slaves from their homelands to their new colonies..." . These slaves were used to grow the economy by working the land, picking cotton, harvesting sugar cane, harvesting tobacco, and so on. They were also used in the construction of railways and in work in their master's house. Slaves built the economy of the Americas. These slaves were treated badly, the owners raped the enslaved women, brutally beat the disobedient slaves, and divided families by selling mothers and fathers, sons and daughters). Then came the Civil War in 1861. This was due to decades of tension between the North and South and their different views on slavery and westward expansion. The War Between the States ended in 1865, with the surrender of the Confederates, the victory of the North, and President Lincoln's declaration of the end of slavery. The United Nations (2018) declared slavery to be a violation of human rights. It's an illegal industry. So why has it managed to prevail into the 21st century? There is a consistent pattern with all sources investigated regarding slavery, slavery is how people have been able to make money, grow economies and develop countries for centuries. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay What is the historical understanding of the term slavery? The fact is that.