Portugal is connected to this by contributing to the Arab slave trade. They also protect their trade and high interest in slavery. "They give in exchange slaves whom the Arabs bring from the land of the Blacks, and gold tiber. The Lord Infante therefore caused a castle to be built on the island to protect this trade for ever."6 All through out Africa there is this influence of profiting off of slaves, and it created a cultural change towards Africans turning into commodities. .
Going off slavery production and change of commodity influence in Africa, these high powers are desperate to find slaves and profit off of the trade. War is one source used, "Those sold by the Blacks are for the most part prisoners of war, taken either in fight, or pursuit, or in the incursions they make into their enemies territories; others stolen away by their own countrymen."7 This war contributes to the market of slavery trade, creates a culture difference in African war through violence, and influencing slavery. There is also kidnapping, which was reported as a common thing, "it frequently happens, that those who kidnap others, are themselves, in their turns, seized and sold. A negroe in the West Indies informed me, that after having been employed in kidnapping others, he had experienced this reverse. And he assured me, that it was a common incident among his countrymen."8 Another example is Ayuba Scheiman Diallo who was an educated merchant in West Africa captured in enemy territory. When being captured your status does not matter, Diallo was a successful merchant who was still sold to slavery.9 Another source is criminal offenses in Kingdoms of Africa, where "the kings are so absolute, that upon any slight pretense of offences committed by their subjects, they order them to be sold for slaves."10 A last source would be African communities or families selling each other, "some there are, who will sell their own children, kindred, or neighbours.