THROUGHOUT HISTORY HUMANS have used animals in ways ranging from hunting them for food to using them for entertainment. People have used animals for their own benefit because many believe that the purpose of animals is to serve humans. This belief is based on various religious, philosophical, and scientific viewpoints.

Historically, people have seen animals as a form of entertainment. In A.D. 72 Roman emperor Vespasian ordered the building of the Roman colosseum. At its grand opening in A.D. 80, thousands of animals and gladiators were killed in games while spectators watched. The slaughter of animals, including elephants, lions, and panthers, continued as a way of entertaining colosseum audiences until the sixth century.

For thousands of years, people have used animals for food and clothing. In the 1600s, Europeans established colonies in North America and, needing food and clothing to...