American Imperialism In Cuban History

In 1846, the Spanish colony of Cuba thrived in the illegal slave trade that continued to replenish the supplies of enslaved Africans, which made up 36% of the enslaved population in Cuba. The socio-economic characteristics of the Cuban population demonstrated approximately that half of the enslaved persons labored on a sugar plantation. Those same individuals were subjected to a brutal work regime, spoke only the language of their diverse African origin and prohibited from contact with the creole world outside of the plantations. Additionally, the 17% of free persons of color, faced constraints on their exercise of freedoms. Specifically, bands against marriage to people of white descent. Therefore, further dividing the racial, social-economic
Looking onto Haiti as a perpetual example of what might happen to the white populations, Cuban nationalist leaders formulated one of the most powerful ideas in Cuban history, the concept of a raceless nationality. However, creole elites with the power to shape the state and its societies, predetermined that the desired nationality of Cuba would be "the only one that any sensible man would consider himself with - (was) nationality formed by the white race". The revolution that commenced on October 10, 1868, went on to produce three anti-colonial rebellions that would span over 30 years. As a consequence of these rebellions, Cuba forged a unique multiracial liberation army that integrated all its members equally, moreover, admitting people of color to ascend to the official ranks of authority. Surprisingly, what flourished during the years was a powerful rhetoric of anti-racism, that set the foundation of racial equality in Cuba. By making a common enemy of colonial Spain, nationalist made the claim that racial oppression experienced in the past was a direct consequence of Spanish colonialism. By attributing the ills of scientific racism to Spain, nationalist movements in Cuba constituted a new kind of collectivity that was no longer characterized by physical characteristics of a race but,
Brazilian elites actually favoured Brazil Emperor, Pedro, preferred a declaration of independence that would minimize the social and political turmoil. So, the nation achieved independence with a Portuguese monarchy in place without any major mobilization of the masses or promises of freedom to the enslaved populations. Brazil received an influx of approximately 3 ½ million slaves, which renewed the labour force in mining, domestic production, and urban retailing operations. Anthropologist, Gilberto Freyre, grew up on sugar plantation owned by his relatives. In his book, The Masters and the Slaves 1933, he stated that race relation between plantation owners and slaves were much more fluid in comparison to that in the US. Portuguese plantation owners in Brazil were open to having sexual relations along with fathering children with their slaves. Consequently, Freyre states "mobility and a disposition to mix with other people were the particular secrets of the Portuguese success in the colonialization of Brazil". So, this open racial mixing thus created a society free of racial animosity compared to racial segregation in the US. Pointing out that people of colour and the white Portuguese are to be held to the same standard. As it was the Portuguese that came to build that country, yet, it was those of African origin, who created Brazilian culture. This nation has