Question

How did the Portuguese become the first Europeans involved in the slave trade?

Answer 1

Pope Nicholas V ( the fifth ) gave Portugal the rights to continue the slave trade of west Africa , under the idea that they convert all people who are enslaved.

Answer 2

They first started to kidnap people from the west coast of Africa and to take those enslaved people back to Europe. The Spanish took the first African captives to the Americas from Europe as early as 1503, and by 1518 the first captives were shipped directly from Africa to America.