In his text "Slavery, a System of Inherent Cruelty," Theodore D. Weld shows how cattle were sometimes treated better than slaves. An example he gives of this is how cattle are allowed to graze as much as they want, while slaves often received a very small portion of food. Another example he gives is how when cattle are to be sold, they are transported in a way that is comfortable to them. On the other hand, slaves often had to walk very long distances, regardless of the weather, while being chained to each other.
The Atlantic slave trade had a substantial and deleterious impact in Benin, causing the depopulation of certain areas as well as a general militarization of society.
