European slavery, often associated with the transatlantic slave trade, involved the forced transportation of millions of Africans to work on plantations and in other labor-intensive roles in the Americas. It was characterized by a racial hierarchy, dehumanization, and hereditary enslavement.
African slavery, in contrast, varied widely across the continent and included systems where individuals could become enslaved due to warfare, debt, or punishment, often with pathways for assimilation or emancipation. It was typically less racially defined and could involve complex social structures.