Why were people in slave for so long?

Verse 1) Yeah, we rise from the ashes, history carved in stone, Chains on our wrists, but we never felt alone, Generations of struggle, we fought through the pain, Our spirit unbreakable, like a lion in the rain. (Verse 2) They tried to silence voices, but we still found a way, From the shadows to the light, we gon' seize the day, Lessons from the past, they echo in our hearts, We’re the warriors of truth, tearing lies apart. (Verse 3) Built from the struggle, our dreams can't be tamed, With every step forward, we’re rewriting the game, They thought they could hold us, but we’re breaking the mold, In a world full of stories, our legacy's bold. (Verse 4) So we stand united, no fear in our eyes, With the fire of our ancestors, we’re destined to rise, From the depths of despair to the heights of our dreams, Live people rising up, tearing at the seams.