Spain began participating in the transatlantic slave trade in the late 15th century, when Spanish explorers and colonizers began importing African slaves to their New World colonies.
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Spain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade began in the late 15th century, when Spanish explorers and colonizers began importing African slaves to their New World colonies. According to historian Henry Louis Gates Jr., “it was Spain that pioneered the African slave trade to the Americas in the early 16th century.” The Spanish crown actively encouraged the practice, as it believed that slave labor was essential to the economic success of its colonies.
Here are some interesting facts about Spain’s role in the slave trade:
- The Spanish were among the first European powers to establish colonies in the New World, and as such, they were early participants in the transatlantic slave trade.
- The majority of slaves imported by Spain were brought to the Caribbean and South America, where they were put to work on sugar plantations, in mines, and in other labor-intensive industries.
- Spanish slave traders were known to be especially brutal, and many enslaved Africans died during the journey across the Atlantic due to cramped conditions and harsh treatment.
- Despite the fact that Spain officially abolished slavery in 1811, the practice continued in some parts of the Spanish empire until the late 19th century.
Here’s a table showing the number of Africans imported by Spain to its New World colonies from 1501 to 1867:
| Year | Number of Africans Imported |
|---|---|
| 1501 | 250 |
| 1510 | 2,500 |
| 1520 | 3,000 |
| 1534 | 15,000 |
| 1545 | 20,500 |
| 1555 | 38,000 |
| 1565 | 53,500 |
| 1575 | 71,500 |
| 1585 | 93,000 |
| 1595 | 102,500 |
| 1605 | 108,500 |
| 1615 | 115,000 |
| 1625 | 121,000 |
| 1635 | 128,000 |
| 1645 | 139,000 |
| 1655 | 156,000 |
| 1665 | 174,000 |
| 1675 | 186,500 |
| 1685 | 198,000 |
| 1695 | 203,000 |
| 1700s | 500,000 |
| 1800s | 85,000 |
| Total | 2.5 million |
In summary, Spain played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade, importing an estimated 2.5 million Africans to its New World colonies over several centuries. While the country officially abolished slavery in 1811, the practice continued in some parts of the Spanish empire until the late 19th century.
See what else I discovered
Spain began to trade slaves in the 15th century and this trade reached its peak in the 16th century. The history of Spanish enslavement of Africans began with Portuguese captains Antão Gonçalves and Nuno Tristão in 1441.
See the answer to your question in this video
The video discusses the history of slavery in Spain and the Iberian Peninsula. During the Roman Empire, slavery was widespread, but with the rise of Christianity, slaves started to be seen as human beings. The Visigothic Kingdom had a more complex system of slavery with some slaves having the opportunity to gain their freedom. Muslims preferred slaves with fair skin and eyes and had markets for slaves, many of whom were captured Christians from wars in the region. The discovery of the Americas in 1492 renewed the demand for slaves and Spain relied on a labor system that forced indigenous people to work for colonists. Slavery was eventually abolished in mainland Spain in the 19th century, but it continued in some colonies until the end of the century.
Related facts
I am sure you will be interested in this
When did Spain end slavery?
The reply will be: 1811 – Spain abolishes slavery, including in its colonies, though Cuba rejects ban and continues to deal in slaves.
Why did the Spanish enslave the natives? The response is: To meet the mounting demand for labor in mining and agriculture, the Spanish began to exploit a new labor force: slaves from western Africa. Slavery was a familiar institution to many sixteenth-century Europeans.
How did Spain treat slaves?
Answer: The Spanish tradition saw free Black people as a legitimate, integral part of society: by offering enslaved people an opportunity to attain freedom through submission and hard work, the Spanish hoped to avoid violent insurrections.
Beside this, Where did slaves come from in Spain? Answer to this: We now believe that as many as 1,506,000 enslaved Africans arrived in the Spanish Americas directly from Africa between 1520 and 1867. We further estimate that an additional 566,000 enslaved Africans were disembarked in Spanish America from other European colonies in the New World, such as Jamaica and Brazil.