Chattel slavery began shortly after the discovery of the continent, with Spanish settlers importing native Terranovans. In time, Africans were also imported in Spanish and French Atlantis. While the British parts of Atlantis did not make use of slaves to any great extent, it tolerated the practice, particularly after French Atlantis fell to the British at the close of a mid 18th century global conflict. With the arrival of the Atlantean War of Independence a dozen years later, English Atlanteans, realizing that they needed the support of French Atlanteans, made no effort to interfere with slavery. Even after settlers won, the new United States of Atlantis let slavery continue. The institution expanded after the USA acquired Spanish Atlantis.