Which of the following statements concerning the volume of the slave trade to the American colonies is most accurate?
a. The volume of the slave trade dwindled rapidly after the 17th century because the plantation economies of the Americas collapsed.
b. The volume of the slave trade decreased as mortality rates increased and the American economy shifted to manufacturing.
c. The high volume of the slave trade was a necessity because slave mortality was high and fertility was low leading to a loss of slave population.
d. Demand for slaves continued to remain high due to the competing demand for slaves in Europe.
e. The shift from plantation economies to mining economies in which slaves were not utilized rapidly diminished the American demand for slaves.
Answer: C