History Main / BornIntoSlavery

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* In [[Series/{{Roots}} both]] [[Series/Roots2016 adaptations]] of ''Roots,'' [[MadeASlave Kunta Kinte's]] friend Fiddler was born a slave since his ancestors were brought over from Africa over a hundred years before [[AuctionOfEvil Kunta was bought by John Waller.]] Kunta's wife, Belle, their daughter Kizzy, as well her children and descendants were all born into slavery as well, and only gained freedom at the end of the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War.]]

* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': All of the descendants of the sprites who fought on Shahar's side in the Rebellion are slaves from birth.

** In "The Grell", Jesha was born a slave, as were his parents before him. The same is true of every Grell for the last two generations.

** In "A New Life", the members of Father's religious community do not know it but their descendants will be born into slavery aboard a massive spaceship.

* Vesta of ''LightNovel/HaremInTheLabyrinthOfAnotherWorld'' admits this is her backstory when she's purchased by the protagonist, Michio. While she claims her childhood was happy, she's purely a StepfordSmiler. Being treated like an equal, given the best available gear, regardless of expense, and treated to what's universally considered her world's lap of luxury had her confused and dismayed. When she's ordered to sit at the same table with everyone else, and served hot, fresh food, possibly for the first time in her life, she breaks down in TearsOfJoy, to Michio's chagrin and confusion.

* Anakin Skywalker from ''Franchise/StarWars''.

* Pursuant to Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution, the US actually banned the importation of slaves in 1808 (fifty-seven years before the ratification of the 13th amendment banning all slavery). The anti-slavery Founding Fathers hoped that the activation of this law would rapidly strangle slavery in the US by depriving the plantations of replacement slaves. However, what they did not foresee was the fact that by 1807, there were so many slaves in the US that the slave owners were simply able to breed more slaves from their current "breeding stock". Older male slaves who had worked well would be put out to "stud" (which provided the slave owners with another source of income). And in many plantations, slaves would be forced into marriages and made to breed (many masters cut out the middleman and raped the women themselves). The intra-US slave trade was a massive business, and slave population actually ''rose'' post-1808. And all of those slaves freed at the end of the Civil War were probably born into slavery (any foreign-born slaves would have been in their late 50s at least,[[note]]You can't simply say they'd be 57, as large numbers of slaves were freed by the Army starting in 1863[[/note]] which, given slaves' life expectancy, would be quite rare).

** The other factor, economics making slavery untenable, also never happened due to the invention of the cotton gin which made harvesting it much easier. So slavery remained a profitable institution up to its abolition.

* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Guts was found half-born in his hanged birth mother, and adopted by mercenaries who saw him as less than dirt. The moment his mother died he was conscripted into his father's mercenary company, sold as a prostitute, and even after killing his father he had to keep fighting for food until he could sell his contract to someone remotely stable. Half the reason the Eclipse happened was because Guts was driven to sociopathy from such a cursed life and made some... poor... choices based on associating his ties to the Band of the Hawk with his former slavery and the need for freedom at all costs.

* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Guts was found half-born in his hanged birth mother, and adopted by mercenaries who saw him as less than dirt. The moment his mother died he was conscripted into his father's mercenary company, sold as a prostitute, and even after killing his father he had to keep fighting for food until he could sell his contract to someone remotely stable. Half the reason the Eclipse happened was because he was driven to sociopathy from such a cursed life and made some... poor... choices based on associating his ties to his gang with slavery and the need for freedom at all costs.

* Vesta of ''Lightnovel/SlaveHaremInTheLabyrinthOfTheOtherWorld'' admits this is her backstory when she's purchased by the protagonist, Michio. While she claims her childhood was happy, she's purely a StepfordSmiler. Being treated like an equal, given the best available gear, regardless of expense, and treated to what's universally considered her world's lap of luxury had her confused and dismayed. When she's ordered to sit at the same table with everyone else, and served hot, fresh food, possibly for the first time in her life, she breaks down in TearsOfJoy, to Michio's chagrin and confusion.

Many a character will get MadeASlave in the course of his or her adventures, and then get away again; sometimes this is even the driving force of some [[NobleFugitive Long Lost Heir]] or ProudWarriorRaceGuy. Other times it's just [[HilarityEnsues Whacky Hijinks]], because who isn't going to laugh and enjoy the {{Fanservice}} of a little harmless GoGoEnslavement?

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' reveals that the protagonists' father, Hohenheim, was [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld over four hundred years old]]. It also reveals concurrently that around Ed's age he was a nameless slave designated #23, in the vanished Xerxes Empire. He climbs up from there with the help of [[BigBad Homunculus]], who regards him as a father, but until the little blob in the jar started talking to him he had no particular ambitions beyond doing his work and being left alone.

* Franchise/XMen member ComicBook/{{Longshot}} was a clone created by scientists working for Mojo, with the express purpose of working as a stuntman in movies; however, the inventor of the technology had planted a seed that would grow into the desire for freedom in his creations, and Longshot's first words were to tell Mojo, "No-one owns me." Eventually, he would indeed lead a rebellion and escape to Earth, beginning Mojo's long enmity with the X-Men and other heroes.

** And then [[BigBad Knives]] has an accidental BigDamnHeroes moment, and decides to spare the kid and let him tag along when he ''offers his life gladly'' in thanks. Reaches TearJerker when the boy is clearly ''crying for joy'' even as he admits that he doesn't have a name, and stumbles after the MagnificentBastard with [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic the shackles still trailing shattered chains]].

* In ''Sorcerer To The Crown'', Zacharias was born a slave before being bought by Sir Stephen, brought to England, and freed.

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->''"I was born into slavery. Deprived of any right, of any faith. I was sold, traded for labor. Forced to watch the suffering, treated like a beast of burden''."''
-->-- '''Adéwalé''', ''VideoGame/{{Assassins Creed Freedom Cry}} Trailer''

-->-- '''Adewale''', ''VideoGame/{{Assassins Creed Freedom Cry}} Trailer''

And then there are the ones who were never ''made'' slaves, because they were born into it. Some of these people may come from a SlaveRace, and some of them may even find HappinessInSlavery, but an overwhelming number of protagonists BornIntoSlavery are deeply opposed to this condition. They may wish to avenge particular wrongs, or start a war to free their people, or just join a moral crusade for general emancipation. And that's if the story isn't entirely focused on them struggling to gain freedom just for themselves and/or loved ones.

* In ''Manga/{{Gangsta}}'' such was the fate of many children who were born Twilights, up until a few years ago when slavery became illegal at least.
** [[spoiler:Nicolas was BornIntoSlavery by his Twilight mother with his [[AbusiveParents dickhead mercenary father as his owner]].]]