By the middle of the 19th century, the four million people of African descent in the U.S. made it the largest slave society in the world

The Wall Street JournalSaturday, November 1, 2025 at 3:00:00 PM
By the middle of the 19th century, the four million people of African descent in the U.S. made it the largest slave society in the world
By the mid-19th century, the United States had become home to the largest slave society in the world, with four million people of African descent. This historical context is essential as it highlights how deeply intertwined slavery was with the nation's economic growth, challenging common perceptions about the factors driving the country's development.
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