Chattel slavery was a system of bondage in which enslaved individuals were treated as property that could be bought, sold, or inherited. This type of slavery was commonly used in the United States, particularly in the southern states, from the 17th century until the abolition of slavery after the Civil War in 1865.

Under chattel slavery, enslaved Black people were subjected to brutal and dehumanizing treatment, forced labor, physical punishment, and deprivation of basic human rights. They were considered the legal property of their owners and had no rights or autonomy over their own lives.

The transatlantic slave trade brought millions of enslaved Africans to the Americas, where they were bought and sold like commodities to work on plantations, mines, and other industries. Chattel slavery was deeply entrenched in the economy and society of the southern states, where enslaved people were used to produce cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and sugar.

The abolition of chattel slavery in the United States was a long and contentious process, culminating in the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 and the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865, which officially outlawed slavery.

Chattel slavery had a profound and lasting impact on Black history, shaping the experiences and opportunities of generations of African Americans and contributing to the enduring legacy of racism and inequality in the United States.