Slavery was present in all societies of the ancient world, it spread during the phases of expansion of civilizations and also at the time of the shift from the small land ownership to large landed estate: as a matter of fact, slaves mainly came from subjugated populations and impoverished peasants. With the discovery of the New World, the need for labour-force for mines and plantations, determined the recovery of the slaves trade imported from Africa to America between 16th and 19th centuries. Slavery was abolished there only in 1865. Nowadays it is a crime which is legally prosecuted in all countries adhering to the Geneva Convention (1926).