Question

How was the practice of traditional African enslavement different from the enslavement practiced after European contact?

Enslaved people were usually transported to the West Indies.
Enslaved people were often ransomed back to their home villages.
Enslaved people were rarely captured in war.
Enslaved people rarely had an opportunity to regain their freedom.

Answer 1

"Enslaved people were often ransomed back to their home villages."

Explanation: Before and within many African societies, slavery was often domestic or regional — enslaved people could be incorporated into households, adopted, or ransomed and reintegrated into their communities. After European contact and the rise of the Atlantic slave trade, slavery became increasingly chattel and export-oriented: people were shipped to the Americas (West Indies), had far fewer chances to return or gain freedom, and were treated as lifelong, inheritable property. The other statements either describe the post-contact system (transport to the West Indies), are false about African slavery (they were often captured in war), or reverse the historical difference (traditional slavery more often allowed avenues to freedom).