Slaves were originally brought to British North America for the purpose of A) tobacco cultivation. B) fighting the French. C) working in factories. D) gold and silver mining.

A) Tobacco cultivation.

Explanation:

The first African slaves brought to North America worked in tobacco and cotton plantations in the 17th century. The first 20 black slaves arrived in the British colonies got to Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619. They had been brought by the privateer The White Lion, whose crew had seized a Portuguese slave ship.