SlaverySlaveryin Latin Americain Latin America

Slavery has existed since Slavery has existed since ancient times. Egyptians, ancient times. Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and even Greeks, Romans and even

the Aztecs all captured the Aztecs all captured enemies in battle and kept enemies in battle and kept

them as slaves. Men them as slaves. Men captured between warring captured between warring tribes in Africa were often tribes in Africa were often taken as slaves rather than taken as slaves rather than

be killed. Sometimes a be killed. Sometimes a family member could buy family member could buy their freedom or the slave their freedom or the slave

could buy back his freedom could buy back his freedom by earning money on the by earning money on the side. However, the slave side. However, the slave trade that developed in trade that developed in Africa during the 1500’s Africa during the 1500’s

was different. was different.

A Long History

Need for LaborNeed for Labor As Europeans As Europeans

established colonies in established colonies in the Americas, the need the Americas, the need

for labor in the for labor in the agricultural and mining agricultural and mining industries increased. At industries increased. At first, the Spanish and first, the Spanish and Portuguese forced the Portuguese forced the

Native American Native American populations to work the populations to work the fields of sugarcane and fields of sugarcane and

mines of gold. mines of gold.

The Queen says No!The Queen says No!

As early as 1509, Queen As early as 1509, Queen Isabella of Spain sent a Isabella of Spain sent a letter to the governor of letter to the governor of Hispaniola forbidding the Hispaniola forbidding the Spanish colonists to use Spanish colonists to use

indigenous people as forced indigenous people as forced labor. labor.

Queen Isabella of Spain 1505

Hold the Phone!Hold the Phone!Hold the Phone!Hold the Phone!

QuestionQuestion: What the heck are : What the heck are indigenous indigenous peoplepeople????AnswerAnswer: : IndigenousIndigenous means native or means native or original. Ioriginal. Indigenous people ndigenous people are the people are the people who were born in a certain place. Like the who were born in a certain place. Like the Aztecs of Mexico or the Cherokee of Georgia.Aztecs of Mexico or the Cherokee of Georgia.

So, when Queen Isabella said she didn’t want So, when Queen Isabella said she didn’t want the indigenous people used as slave labor the indigenous people used as slave labor anymore, she was really saying she didn’t anymore, she was really saying she didn’t want the Native Americans used as slaves. want the Native Americans used as slaves.

A dying breed. . .A dying breed. . . Even if the queen of Even if the queen of

Spain hadn’t forbidden Spain hadn’t forbidden her colonists to use her colonists to use

Native Americans, they Native Americans, they wouldn’t have been used wouldn’t have been used

much longer anyway. much longer anyway. Thousands of these Thousands of these

groups of people had groups of people had begun dying off – killed begun dying off – killed by European diseases by European diseases such as smallpox and such as smallpox and

measles. Those that had measles. Those that had been enslaved often died been enslaved often died

of neglect or cruelty. of neglect or cruelty. A victim of

Smallpox

Conquistadors branding indigenous slaves

So, where were the So, where were the colonists going to find a colonists going to find a source of labor to do all source of labor to do all

the work of raising crops the work of raising crops and mining?and mining?

Out of Africa . . .Out of Africa . . .

Traders from Europe who once Traders from Europe who once stopped on the West Coast of Africa to stopped on the West Coast of Africa to buy gold and ivory, now began raiding buy gold and ivory, now began raiding villages or buying captured Africans villages or buying captured Africans from warring tribes to sell to colonists from warring tribes to sell to colonists in Latin America.in Latin America.

These Africans These Africans were loaded were loaded

aboard crowded aboard crowded ships and sent to ships and sent to slave markets in slave markets in the Americas to the Americas to be sold to the be sold to the

highest bidder. highest bidder. Africans were Africans were prized by the prized by the colonists for colonists for their skill as their skill as farmers and farmers and

metalworkers. metalworkers.

By the way . . .By the way . . . John Newton served as the John Newton served as the captain of a British slave captain of a British slave

ship for over 10 years during ship for over 10 years during the 1700’s, transporting the 1700’s, transporting hundreds of slaves from hundreds of slaves from Africa to the Americas.Africa to the Americas.

In 1748 his ship encountered In 1748 his ship encountered a fierce storm at sea. As a fierce storm at sea. As

water filled his cabin and it water filled his cabin and it looked as though the ship looked as though the ship would surely sink, Newton would surely sink, Newton

cried out to God asking Him cried out to God asking Him to save him and crew. God to save him and crew. God

must have heard his must have heard his prayers, for the storm prayers, for the storm

abated and Newton and his abated and Newton and his crew lived.crew lived.

Newton returned to Englandand began seriously studyinghis Bible and attending church.Although several years wouldpass before he left the slavetrade for good, Newton eventually became a full time preacher remembered more for the hymns he wrote than The sermons he preached. You probably know the words tohis most famous hymn. . .

Amazing Grace . . .

How sweet the sound, that save a wretch like me.I once was lost, but now am found.

Was blind, but now I see.

European colonists brought sugar cane to the Caribbean European colonists brought sugar cane to the Caribbean Islands where the warm climate and rich soil made for Islands where the warm climate and rich soil made for

perfect growing conditions. People back in Europe couldn’t perfect growing conditions. People back in Europe couldn’t get enough of the sweet stuff, or the rum that was made get enough of the sweet stuff, or the rum that was made

from it, and soon sugar cane became the only crop grown from it, and soon sugar cane became the only crop grown in the area. But cane is not an easy crop to grow or in the area. But cane is not an easy crop to grow or

harvest. More labor was needed, and so more slaves were harvest. More labor was needed, and so more slaves were bought.bought.

So why did they need allSo why did they need allthose slaves in Latin those slaves in Latin

America?America? In a word . . . SugarcaneIn a word . . . Sugarcane..

A Growing InstitutionA Growing Institution

And so, the slave trade And so, the slave trade intensified as more and more intensified as more and more

slaves were brought in to slaves were brought in to work the cane. In addition to work the cane. In addition to

the farm skills, African the farm skills, African slaves were chosen because slaves were chosen because

they could handle the hot they could handle the hot climate of the region. Like climate of the region. Like the sugar cane, the slave the sugar cane, the slave

trade grew and flourished.trade grew and flourished.Masks such as these were

sometimes used to keep the slaves from eating the cane

as they worked.

Triangular TradeTriangular TradeTrade between Europe, Trade between Europe,

colonies in the Americas, and colonies in the Americas, and Africa became known as Africa became known as

triangular trade. Merchants triangular trade. Merchants from Europe would take from Europe would take

manufactured goods such as manufactured goods such as pots, pans, guns and pots, pans, guns and

ammunition to Africa where ammunition to Africa where they would trade them for they would trade them for

slaves. The slaves were taken slaves. The slaves were taken to the Americas where they to the Americas where they

were traded for sugar, rum or were traded for sugar, rum or cotton which was then taken cotton which was then taken

to Europe to trade for the to Europe to trade for the manufactured goods. And then manufactured goods. And then

the process would start all the process would start all over again.over again.

Is this an Equilateral Triangle?Is this an Equilateral Triangle?

Certainly not for the African slaves!

African InfluencesAfrican InfluencesAfrican slaves took bits and pieces of their own culture to African slaves took bits and pieces of their own culture to

Latin America where they blended with the Spanish, Latin America where they blended with the Spanish, Portuguese and Native America cultures. Their influence can Portuguese and Native America cultures. Their influence can be heard in the drumbeat of Latin America music and can be be heard in the drumbeat of Latin America music and can be seen in the sway of Latin American dances even today. Many seen in the sway of Latin American dances even today. Many of the most common foods enjoyed in the Americas, such as of the most common foods enjoyed in the Americas, such as yams, coffee and okra, first found their way over on slave yams, coffee and okra, first found their way over on slave

ships. Today, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between all ships. Today, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between all the influences that have created such a rich cultural base in the influences that have created such a rich cultural base in

Latin America.Latin America.

QuestionsQuestionsUse information from Coach Book pp. 42 – 44 to answer the following Use information from Coach Book pp. 42 – 44 to answer the following questions in complete sentences. (Use part of the question in your questions in complete sentences. (Use part of the question in your

answer.)answer.)

1. What did Europeans introduce to the islands of the Caribbean Sea1. What did Europeans introduce to the islands of the Caribbean Sea and what did they establish there?and what did they establish there?2. What encouraged the institution of slavery in the West Indies?2. What encouraged the institution of slavery in the West Indies?3. Where is most of the world’s coffee produced today?3. Where is most of the world’s coffee produced today?4. Before importing slaves, who did Europeans force to work? 4. Before importing slaves, who did Europeans force to work? 5. Where were they forced to work?5. Where were they forced to work?6. Why did the colonials need a new source of labor?6. Why did the colonials need a new source of labor?7. What three characteristics did the Africans have that made them7. What three characteristics did the Africans have that made them desirable for slaves in the colonies of America?desirable for slaves in the colonies of America?8. Trade between Europe, colonies in America, and African was known 8. Trade between Europe, colonies in America, and African was known as what?as what?9. What did merchants trade for captured Africans?9. What did merchants trade for captured Africans?10. How were enslaved Africans transported to the West Indies and 10. How were enslaved Africans transported to the West Indies and what were they traded for?what were they traded for?

AnswersAnswers1. sugar cane & sugar cane 1. sugar cane & sugar cane plantationsplantations2. the 2. the need for workersneed for workers3. 3. South AmericanSouth American nations nations4. Native Americans / indigenous people4. Native Americans / indigenous people5. sugar 5. sugar plantations plantations & & gold minesgold mines6. decline in population of Native Americans6. decline in population of Native Americans7. highly skilled farmers & metal workers, & 7. highly skilled farmers & metal workers, & could handle the hot climatecould handle the hot climate8. Triangular Trade8. Triangular Trade9. manufactured goods9. manufactured goods10. 10. crowded shipscrowded ships and traded for and traded for sugar sugar, , molasses & other productsmolasses & other products