In history class, we surely learned about the history of the African slaves who were brought to America. But what do we know of other cases of slavery in the world?
Were Hispanic slaves? Were Latinos slaves?
The answer is yes, and in this article, we want to show you a little of the history of slavery in Latin America during different historical periods.
You’ll learn the reasons and lasting impact of slavery on Hispanic communities to this day.
With the information we will examine and develop, you can better understand the history of Hispanics and the connection to slavery.
Keep reading and delve into the history of the inhabitants of the American continent.
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Hispanic Slaves in Different Periods and Regions
The history of slavery in the American continent begins in pre-Columbian times. Slavery was normalized among civilizations such as the Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas.
The Aztec civilization, for example, had a social organization where the last in the pyramid were the Tlatlacotín, who had no rights, and their masters treated them as things instead of people.
Then, prisoners of war were sold as slaves, and their final destiny was to be sacrificed in honor of the god of war.
Then begins the time of the colonization of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492.
On that trip, he kidnapped several Native Americans and took them to King Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, offering them as slaves.
On his second voyage, he kidnapped more than 500 natives of the West Indies and sent them to Spain to be enslaved, even though the kings ordered him to stop that action.
Over the next few years, Christopher Columbus activated something called the “Encomienda System” on the lands he claimed in Spain’s name.
The system consisted of the Spanish colonists receiving land worked and cultivated by the Native Americans in exchange for food, shelter, and protection from the Spanish.
Kings Ferdinand and Isabella prohibited slavery in Spain and its colonies in the New World, that is, America. However, being so far from these lands, they had no control over anti-slavery legislation.
From then on, the slave trade developed rapidly through Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, and French ships transporting enslaved natives.
The enslavement of the indigenous peoples of the West Indies and Central and South America continued throughout the 16th century.
In 1528, it was prohibited to send Indians to Spain even if they decided to travel on their own free will since, in the end, they were always going to be sold as slaves.
King Charles V decided to rent mines in the Province of Venezuela to German bankers to obtain more economic income.
The landowners who rented these lands treated the indigenous people who worked in the mines poorly. The moment the king found out what was happening, he rescinded the deal to lease the land.
In the early 1600s, the Arauco War broke out. After destroying important cities in Chile, King Philip III authorized the slavery of the Mapuche indigenous people captured during the war.
In 1674, Spanish King Charles II finally decided to abolish slavery permanently.
Eventually, the American continent would begin to experience a new era of slavery with the arrival of African slaves.
Countries like Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Ecuador received the most African slaves in their lands, and little by little, the Cubans themselves would learn to trade slaves and negotiate with Europeans.
The demonstrations and wars of independence of the Central American and North American countries began in 1800 when the abolition of slavery was proclaimed.
Read also: 12 Ways Hispanic Culture Is Changing America
Contributions of Hispanic Enslaved People to Culture
For the colonizers, slaves became those who contributed to filling themselves with wealth, so they did not care about these individuals’ social and economic lives.
Therefore, slavery contributed positively to the acceleration of economic development as an investment that generated three times more surplus value than its original value.
However, part of the consequences of using them as cheap labor was that they were forced to learn their master’s language, lose their cultural heritage, and forget their traditional dishes, among other things.
The arrival of African slaves led to the creation of black states such as Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
On the other hand, human trafficking and interracial marriages helped create and emerge multiracial societies where each person contributed their culture, folklore, beliefs, and habits.
The impact slaves had on the creation and formation of African and Latin American societies enriched each of the modern Hispanic-American countries.
One of the impacts we can currently experience is the beautiful community of Afro-Latinos, a group of people so culturally rich in history and traditions born from slavery.
Thanks to the union and mixture of different nationalities and races, we can now enjoy food dishes such as arepas, pupusas, tortillas, tamales, and much more.
Latin American music is also the result of the mixture of African, American, and even European traditions. This is how genres such as salsa, bachata, tango, etc. were born.
Even the Spanish language people speak in the Americas is very different from the Spanish spoken in Spain. Spanish speakers began using new words as a result of the influence slaves had on the language.
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Hispanic Slave Resistance, Revolts, and Emancipation
With nothing to lose, many slaves began to rebel against the oppressive power, their masters, and plantation owners.
Some of the first small, peaceful acts of rebellion and resistance to abuse and slavery were the songs they sang while working or at night.
In some cities or villages, the slave population exceeded that of the Europeans, so they went on strike, ruined their owners’ machines, and even caused the entire region to revolt.
Even during trips across the Atlantic, rebellions happened constantly, which was already considered a financial risk for Europeans.
One of the most famous acts of resistance occurred thanks to the rebellion of Cinquez, son of a Mandi chief from Sierra Leone, who was sold as a slave to travel to Cuba.
He managed to seize the ship and, together with Cuban pilots, arrived at Long Island, where they were judged and repatriated to Africa, thus escaping slavery in America.
In Puerto Rico, there was an uprising of African and Indian slaves where they burned down the village of Santa Marta. In Santo Domingo, the slaves rose against the government, killing Spaniards and burning plantations.
However, one of the most notable movements during these revolts was the creation of the Palenques. These were spaces and fortifications where escaping slaves were reorganized into a community.
In these places, they created true independent republics. They were built strategically depending on the terrain to build moats and traps around them.
The people who made up these groups could finally prepare their life project and train to defend with weapons and fight when necessary.
See also: The Powerful Role of Family in Hispanic Culture [Unlike U.S. Culture]
Abolition of Slavery in Hispanic Regions
The first steps taken to abolish slavery in Latin America began with the search for the independence of Mexico and Central America.
In Chile, people wrote and made official the “Decree of Freedom of Wombs,” which permitted the children of slaves to be born free. In 1823, slavery was oficially abolished there, and so Chile became the first country in Latin America to do so.
In Mexico, people created a decree against slavery, and abolished in 1824.
Argentina also approved the “Freedom of Womb Decree,” but it wasn’t until 1853 that they eradicated slavery.
In Colombia and Panama, the politician Simón Bolivar began the process of giving freedom to slaves and forcing slaveholders to clothe and feed the children of slaves as a way to prevent them from deserting. In 1852, the end of the slave trade finally became effective.
Paraguay abolished slavery in 1869. However, only 450 enjoyed the achievement, as the rest were forced to the battlefield.
Now let’s talk about Cuba and Puerto Rico. Due to the number of slaves on both islands and how they handled trade, they were the last Hispanic countries to prohibit slavery, in 1880 and 1873, respectively.
Despite the great efforts and struggles to end slavery, subtle mechanisms of slavery still existed in Latin America even after countries abolished this practice.
Due to the great need that these communities experienced, many of the slaves who were freed decided to continue working for the same employer in conditions very similar to the previous ones.
Afro-Hispanic and indigenous people began to occupy the lowest strata in societies, so they received the least education, food, health, and attention from governments.
Currently, the Afro-descendant and indigenous population occupy the lowest-paid jobs, with little academic and professional training in an era where technology and technical knowledge are increasingly required.
Influential Figures in Hispanic Slavery History
In Hispanic slavery history, many people lived this experience firsthand.
Characters who fought for the abolition of slavery on this continent are considered great heroes of the independence of indigenous and African peoples.
We want to introduce you to some of them that are an elemental part of the history of the Latin American region.
The Salvadoran José Simeón Cañas y Villacorta is one of the most important figures in the independence of El Salvador and Central America.
In 1824, he requested the liberation of the remaining slaves in Central America and granted them citizenship of the country where they were born.
Miguel Hidalgo, born in Guanajuato, Mexico, is considered the father of the nation, and he inaugurated the revolutionary social movement for the independence of Mexico.
During his political and professional career, he denounced serious societal faults, including racism and discrimination against African slaves and their descendants.
Furthermore, in 1810, in Valladolid, he published a decree to abolish slavery for the American continent.
Cuba also has a fighter for the people’s liberation; her name is Mariana Grajales Cuello, and she is the Mother of the Cuban Homeland.
She is the daughter of parents of Dominican descent who experienced the slavery regime firsthand.
Although Mariana was not enslaved, she did experience the intense discrimination that existed at that time towards afro-descendants, whether free or slaves. There, she gave herself to the fight for independence working in hospitals.
The moment she decided to join the war with her entire family, they swore to fight for the independence of Cuba and the liberation of the slaves.
Sebastián Lemba was one of the most important African anti-slavery leaders who led a rebellion against slavery in the Dominican Republic.
After suffering mistreatment and racism, he and a group of companions escaped to the mountains where, for 15 years, they fought the Spanish authorities.
Little by little, more men and women joined his fight, and he led and trained them to reach the villages, attack the Spanish, and free more slaves.
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Importance of Acknowledging the Hispanic Slavery History
The history of Hispanic slavery is very cruel and harsh. It’s a complex issue that is part of the foundations of Hispanic societies and Latin American countries.
Knowing the diverse experiences of Hispanic slaves and their descendants is vital to understanding the reasons for the deep-rooted discrimination still experienced in the American continent and the world.
In modern times, museums, social events, and cultural initiatives share this part of history so that it’s never forgotten.
Efforts such as The Slave Route created by UNESCO have been designed to demonstrate the cultural transformations and interactions derived from that history and create a culture of peace.
Knowing the causes, problems, and consequences of this type of action, such as slavery, gives young people the necessary understanding to prevent it from happening again.
Although agreements and decrees have been signed to abolish slavery, there are still manifestations confirming that this reality continues to exist in different forms today.
In the United States, you can visit the International African American Museum in South Carolina and Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia, to learn about African slavery and its consequences.
Connect With Hispanic History Through the Spanish Language
The atrocities that Africans, Hispanics, and Latin Americans experienced during the conquest and discovery of America left indelible traces that have repercussions on societies today.
That is why we must learn more about the cultures surrounding us to be more empathetic to the different realities and how beautiful the multiculturalism that exists in the world is.
By knowing the struggles that these people experienced, we can understand all the current problems and, if possible, work in our communities to eradicate social violence.
Get closer to Hispanic culture by studying the Spanish language, where you will learn to communicate with native Hispanics and be able to travel to their countries and learn about their history.
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