What is described are the conditions that led to the reformation of the Estates-General in France during the reign of Louis XVI for the first time in 175 years.
Europe. North America and Africa
The major Atlantic slave trading nations, ordered by trade volume, were: the Portuguese<span>, the </span>British<span>, the </span>French<span>, the </span>Spanish<span>, and the </span>Dutch Empire. Several had established outposts on the African coast where they purchased slaves from local African leaders.[5]These slaves were managed by a factor who was established on or near the coast to expedite the shipping of slaves to the New World. Slaves were kept in a factory while awaiting shipment. Current estimates are that about 12 million Africans were shipped across the Atlantic,[6]<span> although the number purchased by the traders is considerably higher, as the passage had a high death rate.</span>[7][8]<span> Near the beginning of the nineteenth century, various governments acted to ban the trade, although illegal smuggling still occurred. In the early twenty-first century, several governments issued apologies for the transatlantic slave trade.</span>
