By 1700, 50,000 people were being enslaved each year, and scholars estimate that, in total, 12 million African people were captured and trafficked to the western hemisphere
The numbers show the massive scale of the transatlantic slave trade. It was a global economic system that reshaped populations and economies on three continents. This fact is significant for understanding how modern racial inequalities were formed. By recognizing the scope it helps explain the enduring cultural as well as political consequences of slavery. The current discussion about repartions and systemic racism directly relate to the impact of forced migration and historical scale.