What was the main purpose of the Atlantic Slave Trade?

The main purpose of the Atlantic Slave Trade was indeed the forced transport of Africans, which was a grim cornerstone of this historical phenomenon. This trade network, active between the 16th and 19th centuries, involved the removal of millions of Africans from their homelands to work primarily on plantations in the Americas.

The forced nature of this transport highlights the exploitative practices and inhumane conditions faced by enslaved individuals during their journeys across the ocean, often referred to as the Middle Passage. This answer encapsulates not only the core function of the trade itself but also reflects the broader economic motivations behind the practice, which aimed to provide a labor force that was essential for the success of the plantation economy in the New World.

While other options do address associated outcomes or motivations linked to the Atlantic Slave Trade, their focus diverges from the core issue of forced transport. For instance, the trade did facilitate colonization of the Americas and foster limited trade relations, but those aspects stem from the primary act of transport and exploitation that defined the existence and longevity of the trade itself.