This work resituates the Spanish Caribbean as an extension of the Luso-African Atlantic world from the late sixteenth to the mid-seventeenth century; when the union of the Spanish and Portuguese crowns facilitated a surge in the transatlantic slave trade. After the catastrophic decline of Amerindian populations on the islands; two major African provenance zones; first Upper Guinea and then Angola; contributed forced migrant populations with distinct experiences to the Caribbean. They played a dynamic role in the social formation of early Spanish colonial society in the fortified port cities of Cartagena de Indias; Havana; Santo Domingo; and Panama City and their semirural hinterlands. David Wheat is the first scholar to establish this early phase of the "Africanization" of the Spanish Caribbean two centuries before the rise of large-scale sugar plantations. With African migrants and their descendants comprising demographic majorities in core areas of Spanish settlement; Luso-Africans; Afro-Iberians; Latinized Africans; and free people of color acted more as colonists or settlers than as plantation slaves. These ethnically mixed and economically diversified societies constituted a region of overlapping Iberian and African worlds; while they made possible Spain's colonization of the Caribbean.
#701595 in Books 2016-01-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.80 x .70 x 5.00l; .0 #File Name: 1468311727240 pages
Review
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Interesting ObservationsBy William BenedonThis title suddenly caught my attention. I thought it would be a humorous take-off on the subject.Much to my surprise and reading pleasure; it is serious examination of slavery from the viewpointof a "Roman" citizen. Many interesting comparisons to "slavery" of any kind. It is not a lengthybook yet addresses all aspects of slavery--justification; treatment; types. The author provideshistorical references that add to the credibility of the slavery examples provided. A great breakin the list of non-fiction reading.9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. ExcellentBy Jam-iI really enjoyed this book. The premise - a wealthy Roman slave owner recounting how he manages slaves makes for fascinating reading. A bit of philosophy; lots of history and sociology and not a small bit of humor. Each chapter is ended by a contemporary "historian" providing perspective and factual bases for the slave owner's commentary. It's a fascinating look at Roman society and the lessons of the slave owner have value from the perspective of managing people and teams today. Fresh and full of lessons about how we should treat people today....0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent and educationalBy Gregory SmithThe author did a great job explaining Roman slavery from the point of view of a Roman and his own take at the end of each chapter. I learned a lot I didn't know ; such as how to discipline a slave ; why excessive cruelty might be bad ; went to free a slave ; how much to pay for a slave ; the differences between urban and rural slaves ; and much more .
