The major event that marked the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade was the establishment of plantations in the Americas and the demand for labor-intensive crops such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton. In the 16th century, European colonizers turned to the African slave trade to meet their labor needs. The infamous Middle Passage began as ships transported enslaved Africans across the Atlantic under brutal conditions. This trade dramatically increased the scale of human trafficking and exploitation, profoundly impacting African societies and contributing to the economic foundation of the Americas. It laid the groundwork for systemic racism and socioeconomic disparities that persist today.