Who were the primary targets of the African slave trade during Period 2?

The primary targets of the African slave trade during Period 2 were the agricultural economies of the Southern colonies. This is due to the Southern colonies’ heavy reliance on plantation agriculture, particularly for cash crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo. The labor-intensive nature of these crops demanded a large workforce, which led plantation owners to seek out enslaved Africans to fulfill this need.

As a result, the Southern colonies became deeply intertwined with the transatlantic slave trade, establishing a system that not only bolstered their agricultural output but also significantly impacted their economic and social structures. The dependence on enslaved labor meant that as these economies grew and expanded, the demand for slaves increased correspondingly, solidifying the role of enslaved Africans in the development of the region.

Other answers may reflect different economic practices, but they do not capture the specific agricultural focus that characterized the Southern colonies' economy at this time.