Figure 1.--This photograph reportedly shows former slaves on Puerto Rico. We are not sure, however, just who took it and when. Source: Library of Congress.

The abolition of slavery in Spain's last Western Hemishphere colonies is a complicated matter. Spain signed a treaty with Britain to end the slave trade (1817). There was a grace period involved. Spain while agreeing to end the slave trade, in fact took no real actions to do so. Enforcement was largely left to the limited abilities of the British Royal Navy. After the treaty came into force, slavers continued to deliver slaves to Cuba and to a lesser extent Puerto Rico. One account estimates that between 1821 and 1831 more than 300 slave ships brought an estimated 60,000 slaves to Cuba. Spanish authorities on Cuba made no real effort to stop this. Spain abolished slavery south of the equator (1820). Spain at the time, however, had lost or was losing its South American colonies, leaving it only with Cuba and Puerto Rico which were well north of the Equator. Following the defeat of Spain in a series of wars in South America and Mexico, Cubans began to organize an independence movement (1820s). Spain declared martial law and suppressed Cuban newspapers. Newly independent Mexico and Venezuela began to consider expeditions to support Cuba revolutionaries. The United States began to fear another slave rebellion like the one in Haiti with repercussions for the slave holding South. Secretary of State Henry Clay moved to block such efforts. The Spanish government issued new regulations designed to stop the slave trade (1826). The Spanish proclaimed that any slave who could prove he was illegally imported would be freed. They also issued new regulations requiring ship masters arriving from Africa to submit their logbooks to port authorities for evidence of slaving. British officials complained that the new regulations were being ignored by autjorities on Cuba. The Minerva incident soon brought this to light. The master of the scooner Minerva landed six boat loads of Africans in Havana harbot at night to escape notice. Royal Navy officers attempted to use the Spanish courts in Cuba to prosecute the ship's master. General Francisco Dionisio, the Captain-general of Cuba, blocked the effort. He refused to let the case be brought before the court of mixed commission set up under the terms of the treaty between Spain and Britain. Dionisio claimed that the incident occurred in Havana Harbor and not on the high seas. A spanish census on Cuba found a slave population of 287,000 (1827). Most of Cuba's slaves worked on 1,000 sugar plantations (ingenios). Sugar planter Carlos Manuel de Céspesdes freed his slaves, issuing the Cry of Yara (Grito de Yara). A wave of slave liberations followed (1868). The wars of liberation against Spain were impaired by the slave question. Planters were concerned that independence would lead to abolition. The Spanish Government proclaimed the "Free Market Law" which freed slaves over age 60, those born after September 17, 1868, and all slaves who fight under the Spanish flag (1870). The last slaver landed Africans in Cuba (1873). Spain finally aboloished slavery (1886). This meant the end of slavery on the two remaining Spanish colonies in the Western Hemisphere--Cuban and Puerto Rico.

Cuban Sugar Industry

One of the consequences of the French Revolution was the Haitain slave rebellion (1790s) and eventual independence of Haiti. Cuba had not been a major sugar profucer during the Caribbean sugar boom (18th century). After the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815), Cuba emerged as the main sugar producer in the Caribbean. The industry grew very rapidly in the 1820s abd 30s. Large numbers of captive Africans were need to work o\all the new plantations. Slavers thus shipped to Cuba to work the plantations. The profitabilty of sugar and the Spanish ability to hold the islands as independence movements swept the mainland, allowed the industry to develop rapidly. Cuba became the last non-Muslim country to outlaw slavery. After Castro seized control of Cuba (1959), Cuban sugar played a role in the Cold War.

Cuban Slavery

The number of slaves on Cuba wwre greatly expanded after the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) with the growth of the island's sugar industry. During the great expansion of the Cuban sugar industry, the Atlantic slave trade was still operating in great force. One account estimates that between 1821 and 1831 more than 300 slave ships brought an estimated 60,000 slaves to Cuba. Spanish authorities on Cuba made no real effort to stop this. Spain abolished slavery south of the equator (1820). Spain at the time, however, had lost or was losing its South American colonies, leaving it only with Cuba and Puerto Rico which were well north of the Equator.

Spanish Treaty with Britain

The abolition of slavery in Spain's last Western Hemishphere colonies is a complicated matter. Spain signed a treaty with Britain to end the slave trade (1817). There was a grace period involved. Spain while agreeing to end the slave trade, in fact took no real actions to do so. Enforcement was largely left to the limited abilities of the British Royal Navy. After the treaty came into force, slavers continued to deliver slaves to Cuba and to a lesser extent Puerto Rico.

South American Independence

Spain abolished slavery south of the equator (1820). Spain at the time, however, had lost or was losing its South American colonies, leaving it only with Cuba and Puerto Rico which were well north of the Equator. The South American revolutions were liberal movements. And the victorious crillollos move to emancipate slaves. Slavery was not a major institution in Spanish South America. (It was of course in Brazil.) There were a few pockets of slavery, but the vested slave interests were realtively small. Thus this was an early step taken by the new South American republics with relatively little opposition. This was not the case in Cuba which remained in Spanish hands.

Continued Cuban Slavery

The major industry on Cuba was sugar. The sugar weas grown on plantations, primarily by slave labor. One account estimates that between 1821 and 1831 more than 300 slave ships brought an estimated 60,000 slaves to Cuba. Spanish authorities on Cuba made no real effort to stop this. Following the defeat of Spain in a series of wars in South America and Mexico, Cubans began to organize an independence movement (1820s). A spanish census on Cuba found a slave population of 287,000 (1827). Most of Cuba's slaves worked on 1,000 sugar plantations (ingenios).

Cubans Launch Independence Movement

Following the defeat of Spain in a series of wars in South America and Mexico, Cubans began to organize an independence movement (1820s). Spain declared martial law and suppressed Cuban newspapers. Newly independent Mexico and Venezuela began to consider expeditions to support Cuba revolutionaries. The United States began to fear another slave rebellion like the one in Haiti with repercussions for the slave holding South. Secretary of State Henry Clay moveed to block such efforts. The Cuban independence struggle was complicated by the fact that many plabtation owners who might have supported independence were concerned that a break with spain would mean emancipation of their slaves.

New Spanish Regulations

The Spanish government issued new regultions designed to stop the slave trade (1826). The Spanish proclaimed that any slave who could prove he was illegally imported would be freed. They also issued new regulations requiring ship masters arriving from Africa to submit their logbooks to port authorities for evidence of slaving. British officials complained that the new regulations were being ignored by autjorities on Cuba. The Minerva incident soon brought this to light. The master of the scooner Minerva landed six boat loads of Africans in Havana harbot at night to escape notice. Royal Navy officers attempted to use the Spanish courts in Cuba to prosecute the ship's master. General Francisco Dionisio, the Captain-general of Cuba, blocked the effort. He refused to let the case be brought before the court of mixed commission set up under the terms of the treaty between Spain and Britain. Dionisio claimed that the incident occurred in Havana Harbor and not on the high seas.

America and Britain

Cuban slavery burst on the American political scene with the Amistad affair (1839). Gradually the Royal Navy's efforts to end the slave trade made it more and more difficult to obtain new slaves. This meant that slaves could not be worked to death and easily replaced. This affected the cost of buying a slave and how slaves were treated and cared for by the planters. It did not mean that the system was humane, but does mean it was no longer genocidal.

Cuban Abolitionist Movement

Sugar planter Carlos Manuel de Céspesdes freed his slaves, issuing the Cry of Yara (Grito de Yara). A wave of slave liberations followed (1868). The wars of liberation against Spain were impaired by the slave question. Planters were concerned that independence would lead to abolition.

Puerto Rican Abolitionist Movement

The struggle over slavery was primarily focused on Cuba, the larger and economically more valuable island with the largest slave population. There were, however, also slaves on Puerto Rico. And there was an abolitionist movement on Puerto Rico. The leaders of were José Julián Acosta, Francisco Mariano Quiñones, Julio L. de Vizcarrondo, Ramón Emeterio Betances, and Segundo Ruiz Belvis.

Final Spanish Steps

The Spanish Government proclaimed the "Free Market Law" which freed slaves over age 60, those born after September 17, 1868, and all slaves who fight under the Spanish flag (1870). The last slaver landed Africans in Cuba (1873). We do not yet have a precise account of the final steps. One source reports that the Spanish National Assembly abolished slavery in Puerto Rico (March 22, 1873). The owners were compensated with 35 million pesetas per slave, paid for through indemnity bonds. The slaves had to continue working for 3 additional years. Another source reports that Spain finally aboloished slavery (1886). This meant the end of slavery on the two remaining Spanish colonies in the Western Hemisphere--Cuban and Puerto Rico.

Created: 5:53 PM 10/28/2008
Last updated: 2:16 PM 10/24/2014