Slavery in Latin AmericaSlavery in Latin America

A Case of Cruelty and Cultural A Case of Cruelty and Cultural ExchangeExchange

What do we know about What do we know about slavery in American history?slavery in American history?• We know that slavery existed in We know that slavery existed in

North America for centuries and North America for centuries and eventually lead to the American eventually lead to the American Civil WarCivil War

• We usually associate the We usually associate the practice of slavery with “the practice of slavery with “the south”south”

• Most of us have seen movies Most of us have seen movies and pictures that show what life and pictures that show what life was like for slaves living in the was like for slaves living in the U.S. These pictures usually U.S. These pictures usually showshow– Big, southern plantation Big, southern plantation

homeshomes– Slaves who were very poorly Slaves who were very poorly

mistreated and sometimes mistreated and sometimes even beateneven beaten

– Many times the slaves look Many times the slaves look poorly dressed and tired poorly dressed and tired

How did slaves influence How did slaves influence American culture?American culture?

• Slaves brought with them many different Slaves brought with them many different languages and customslanguages and customs– Africans brought words like “yam” and “goober” Africans brought words like “yam” and “goober”

which became apart of the American languagewhich became apart of the American language– Africans also brought their song and dance which Africans also brought their song and dance which

influenced American music like jazz and bluesinfluenced American music like jazz and blues– Foods like gumbo were influenced by African Foods like gumbo were influenced by African

cuisinecuisine– Many African slaves converted to Christianity but Many African slaves converted to Christianity but

also kept some of their oral traditions; this also kept some of their oral traditions; this influenced Gospel music and preaching in The influenced Gospel music and preaching in The South South

The World Slave TradeThe World Slave Trade

How did slavery affect Latin How did slavery affect Latin America?America?

• What sorts of labor did slaves in Latin What sorts of labor did slaves in Latin America do?America do?

• What did slavery look like in Latin What did slavery look like in Latin AmericaAmerica

• How did the presence of slaves affect How did the presence of slaves affect the many cultures and peoples of the many cultures and peoples of Latin America?Latin America?

Looking at slavery in the Latin Looking at slavery in the Latin AmericaAmerica

• Caribbean sugar Caribbean sugar plantations were plantations were the most similar the most similar places for slaves to places for slaves to work like those work like those who lived on who lived on American cotton or American cotton or tobacco plantationstobacco plantations

Slavery’s affect on Latin Slavery’s affect on Latin American culture:American culture:

• Slavery affected Latin America in Slavery affected Latin America in many of the same ways slavery many of the same ways slavery changed the U.S.changed the U.S.– TraditionsTraditions– MusicMusic– DanceDance– ReligionReligion

TraditionsTraditions

• African slaves African slaves brought the brought the tradition of having tradition of having carnivals which carnivals which eventually became eventually became widely popular in widely popular in many Latin many Latin American culturesAmerican cultures

DanceDance

• African dances African dances helped influence helped influence and develop Latin and develop Latin dances like the dances like the tangotango

• This is a picture of This is a picture of some Argentinean some Argentinean tango dancers tango dancers

MusicMusic

• Native Latin Native Latin Americans grew to Americans grew to love the rhythms and love the rhythms and beats of African musicbeats of African music

• One example of a mix One example of a mix between Latin and between Latin and African music is African music is reggae, which reggae, which originates in the originates in the Caribbean island of Caribbean island of JamaicaJamaica

ReligionReligion

• Like those in the U.S., Like those in the U.S., many African slaves many African slaves converted to Christianity converted to Christianity in Latin America but in Latin America but kept many of their kept many of their African traditionsAfrican traditions

• A good example of this A good example of this can be found in the can be found in the Macumba religion which Macumba religion which originated in Brazil. This originated in Brazil. This religion in a combination religion in a combination of Catholicism and of Catholicism and African “voodoo” African “voodoo” traditionstraditions

Racial DiscriminationRacial Discrimination

• Unfortunately, Africans who were sold into the Unfortunately, Africans who were sold into the Latin American slave trade were discriminated Latin American slave trade were discriminated against just like those who came to the U.S.against just like those who came to the U.S.

• Since the beginning of slavery in Latin America, Since the beginning of slavery in Latin America, African-Latinos have been widely persecuted African-Latinos have been widely persecuted and scene as inferior human beingsand scene as inferior human beings

• Some slaves eventually won their freedomSome slaves eventually won their freedom– The Island of Haiti for example won its independence The Island of Haiti for example won its independence

by leading a slave revolt against the French in 1804 by leading a slave revolt against the French in 1804