When Europeans began settling in the Americas and building large plantations, there were already enough native people there to provide a labor force. Why did Europeans merchants start shipping slaves from Africa to the colonies of the Americas instead of hiring native Americans?

The answer is complicated but the best answer would be that much of the native American populations initially used by European colonies died from disease to the point that their population could no longer sustain the plantations.

Explanation:

This answer is the most reasonable to me but another common answer is that European colonists often viewed Africans as more resilient and thus more sustainable for the harsh conditions of plantation labor.

did you check the study guide?

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