Evolution of Slavery Through the Ages: A Comprehensive World History of Slavery by PRESS VERITY

Author:PRESS, VERITY
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-11T00:00:00+00:00

African Labour in the New World

The growth of economies centered around sugar, tobacco, and rice demanded a workforce with specific cultural knowledge, agricultural skills, and adaptability to the New World environment. The Portuguese and Spanish turned to Africa to meet these demands. The first Africans enslaved by these European powers demonstrated their ability to fulfill the required criteria.

In the 16th century, the allure of gold drove Spanish conquistadors to the Americas. Recognizing the efficiency of African labor, Spanish settlers found that one African could replace the work of four to eight Native Americans in mining operations. The demand for an African labor force in Spanish colonies grew due to a combination of factors. European diseases, deadly to Native Americans lacking immunity, caused significant fatalities. Simultaneously, Spanish clergymen advocated for the protection of mining companies from responsibility for the mistreatment of indigenous peoples.

Another key driver for the Spanish enslavement of Africans was the introduction of sugarcane, a lucrative crop. Spanish planters, requiring a large and manageable workforce to turn a profit, turned to Africa for laborers. The intersection of economic interests, technological needs, and demographic challenges shaped the trajectory of the transatlantic slave trade in the New World.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.