Why Did the English Kidnap Native Americans and Send Them To Europe During the 17th Century Phase of Exploration?

by Zeuvembie

I was reading about how Tisquantum (Squanto) was kidnapped and virtually enslaved, and how Sir Ferdinando Gorges likewise captured other Native Americans and sent them back to Europe...but why?

anthropology_nerd

Yes, Native Americans were frequently abducted and enslaved, from Columbus's first voyage to the nineteenth century, from the far reaches of Patagonia to the St Lawrence River. Native American slavery was pervasive. You might like this previous answer on captives, and the Native American slave trade. Also, check out Andrés Reséndez The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America for more information on the massive scale of the slave trade throughout the Americas after contact.