<human>:  What is the history of the transatlantic slave trade?
<bot>: The transatlantic slave trade was a system of trade between Europe and Africa that lasted from the 16th to the 19th centuries. During this period, European merchants would capture African men, women, and children and transport them to the Americas, primarily to labor as slaves on plantations. Over 12 million enslaved people were forcibly removed from Africa, with some estimates indicating that up to two-thirds of those abducted died during the journey. The slave trade had a devastating effect on African societies, as millions of people were uprooted from their homeland and forcibly relocated to foreign countries. In addition, the traumatic mistreatment of slaves had profound effects on African-American culture and history. The practice of the slave trade was eventually abolished in both the U.S. and Europe around the mid-19th century, although its legacy continues to be felt today in the form of racial inequality and systemic racism.