Why are both local African chieftains and French merchants notable in slave trade?

Correct answer: Local chieftains captured and sold people, while French merchants transported them by ship to the colonies

In the Atlantic slave trade, local African chieftains and traders helped capture or hold people captive and sold them to coastal traders. French merchants then transported the enslaved people in ships to plantation colonies in the Caribbean and the Americas. Thus, option A correctly states their connected roles in the trade network. Option B is incorrect because the National Convention later dealt with the abolition of slavery; these groups are not notable for being its members. Exam tip: remember the sequence of the trade—capture, sale, sea transport, and plantation labour.