What Europe gave to the world?

@SW-User ...and enlightenment.

@SW-User No. Slavery has been common practice all over the world and was considered normal everywhere. Slavery was normal in Africa for example. It was European thinking that came up with the idea that slavery is incompatible with human dignity.

@helenS Yes Slavery has been common practice all over the world but no europe didn't stop slavery

@SW-User Europe was the first continent to ban slavery completely. There was no such thing as slavery in the middle ages in Europe. When the Europeans conquered the Middle East (Napoleon!) one of the first things they did was to abolish slavery, much to the surprise of the locals.

@helenS Yes to start a different kind of slavery?

@helenS And not surprisingly, modern slavery is rife in the Middle East.

@Moonpenny … there's one exception: Israel, because it is essentially a European country.

@helenS Geographically speaking, Israel is in Asia and is considered European due to the migration of European Jews there. But yes, they exercise human rights regarding slavery. Although Napoleon was unsuccessful in conquering Israel.

@helenS Europeans created a much different system of slavery in regards to Africans. It wasn't the same as historical slavery. It was race based and far crueller.