--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: switched to slaves. From the sixteenth to…" description: "\"“switched to slaves. From the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, about 10 million African slaves were imported to America. About 70 per cent of the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/861/yuval-noah-harari-100_slavery_switched-to-slaves-from-the-sixteenth-to_405887.jpg" --- # switched to slaves. From the sixteenth to the nineteenth… ![“switched to slaves. From the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, about 10 million African slaves were imported to America. About 70 per cent of them worked on the sugar plantations.” quote by Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/861/yuval-noah-harari-100_slavery_switched-to-slaves-from-the-sixteenth-to_405887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/861/yuval-noah-harari-100_slavery_switched-to-slaves-from-the-sixteenth-to_405887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/861/yuval-noah-harari-100_slavery_switched-to-slaves-from-the-sixteenth-to_405887.jpg) > ““switched to slaves. From the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, about 10 million African slaves were imported to America. About 70 per cent of them worked on the sugar plantations.”” [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Massive forced migration shaped economies and societies, with a majority of African slaves laboring on sugar farms. **In simple terms:** Millions were enslaved, many on sugar plantations. Key Takeaway Recognize the human cost behind historical wealth. Themes history economics human rights Mood somber reflective Type historical educational When to use this quote - education curricula - museum exhibits - policy discussions - social justice activism Key Concepts colonialism labor exploitation global trade Questions to Reflect On - How does this labor history affect modern economic disparities? - What lessons can we draw for current human trafficking? A Different Perspective The quote focuses on labor, overlooking cultural resistance and agency of enslaved peoples. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves/) ## Related quotes > [“From the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, about 10 million African slaves were imported to America. About 70 per cent of them worked on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/from-the-sixteenth-to-the-nineteenth-centuries-about-10-million/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [ \[God brought African slaves to America\] so that their descendants would know freedom. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezola-b-foster/god-brought-african-slaves-to-america-so-that-their-descendants-would/) Ezola B. Foster > [“There were African slaves in China from at least the seventh century CE, and, Wolf reports, “by 1119 most of the wealthy people of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/there-were-african-slaves-in-china-from-at-least-the-seventh-century/) [David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/) > [Haiti was founded by African slaves who rose against their European masters, had a revolution, and created a new state. There is no other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-smartt-bell/haiti-was-founded-by-african-slaves-who-rose-against-their-european/) [Madison Smartt Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-smartt-bell/) > [The thing people have to remember is there's nothing natural about racism as it exists in America. I mean, we know this historically. 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I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! 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