Spanish Slavery in the New World From 1500-1680

Spanish Slavery in the New World

Period: Jan 1, 1500 to Jan 1, 1680

1502

Oct 1, 1502

Juan de Córdoba of Seville, Spain became the first merchant to send an African slave to the New World. Like other merchants, the Spanish authorities only allow him to send only one slave.

1505

Oct 1, 1505

The first recorded sugar cane harvest in the New World by Europeans. The sugar cane plantations will be an enormous industry in the New World and will demand hundreds of slaves both native and African.

1510

Oct 1, 1510

The beginning of the mass transport of African slaves to the New World. King Ferdinand of Spain authorizes a ship of 50 African slaves to be sent to Santo Domingo in the Caribbean.

1516

Oct 1, 1516

The governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez permits slave-raiding expeditions in Central America. One group of native slaves aboard a Spanish shp rebel and massacre the Spanish crew. It is the first slave rebellion in the New World.

1518

Oct 1, 1518

Charles V of Spain permits Lorenzo de Gorrevod to import 4000 African slaves into New Spain, Spain's land in the New World. From this point on, the slave trade escalates to the point where thousands of Africans are enslaved each year.

1522

Oct 1, 1522

A significant slave rebellion breaks out on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is the first significant uprising of African slaves in the New World. Slave rebellions become common after this event.

1530

Oct 1, 1530

A Spanish merchant named Juan de la Barrera begins transporting African slaves directly from Africa to the New world, whereas before slaves would stop in Europe before embarking to the New World.

1539

Oct 1, 1539

Hernando de Soto lands on the coast of Florida. Aboard with him are 50 African slaves.

1573

Oct 1, 1573

A Spanish attorney by the name of Bartolemé Frías de Albornoz publishes “The Art of Contracts” which criticises the legality of the slave trade.

1580

Oct 1, 1580

Spain and Portugal are united under Philip II of Spain. Spain becomes the most important colonial power as well as the largest participant in the slave trade.

1600

Oct 1, 1600

King Philip II outlaws the uses of Native American slaves in every Spanish colony. However, the use of slaves are still illegally used in the New World but their use are fading away as Spanish and Native American cultures combine.

1627

Oct 1, 1627

A Spanish-Peruvian Jesuit named Alonso de Sandoval publishes several books such as Policia, Costumbres i Ritos, Disciplina, i Catechismo Evangelico de todos Etíopes, which criticizes and argues that slavery combines all the evils of the world.