What Role Did Slavery Play In Colonial Latin America

When thinking of the economic structure of the past, one cannot ignore how it truly started. In colonial Latin America, the African slave trade was on the rise and Africans were prized beause they were already inslaved (Module). Andean people were put into harsh working conditions that were just a step above slavery and made little to no money. The economic platform was based on cheap labor by working people in return for a higher profit by their successors, with only the economy and wealth growth in mind. The Andean people were put into mining shacks and had terrible working conditions. With mining in silver and mercury minds, it demanded a wide range of workers and an abudance of workers, many of whom needed to be replaced when they got sick or passed away (Anthony, “The Economy of the Andes”). Where the mines were located in remote areas, the indingenous people were the majority of the labor supply (Anthony, “The Economy of the Andes”). According to Robins and Hagan, “mining and refining operations in Huancavelica and Potosi depended on a draft labor system known as mita to ensure sufficient workers” (“Mercury Production and Use in Colonial Andean Silver Production,” par. 5). Also from Robings and Hagan,

From the beginning, Africans were important because they accompanied Europeans on their exploratory missions to the Americas (“Episode 6: Effects of the Atlantic Slave Trade on the Americas”,2012). A large proportion of slaves brought to Latin America were taken to Brazil. In fact between the 16th and 19th centuries, 4.8 million enslaved Africans arrived in Brazil (Kahn & Bouie, 2015). According to Natalie Arsenault, Director of Public Engagement at Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, modern day Brazilian religion, cuisine, dance, and music have roots from the slave trade