Which Africans became African Americans and how they

Throughout this semester we've explored the process by which Africans became African Americans and how they experienced freedom and slavery throughout this process. We began with the slave trade in the 16th century and ended in the aftermath of the American Civil War.

In a 500 word assignment , answer the following prompt:  Did black people become more or less free in the years between 1600 and 1877(Reconstruction in the United States)?

Your response should include a clear thesis, evidence from at least three of our readings(including the PDF attached to this assignment, Eric Foner's Black Leaders and Reconstruction), an organized and logical argument, and should be clearly written.