Compare And Contrast Sugar Slavery And Colonialism
While reading Sugar, Slavery, and Colonialism, it was interesting to see the breakdown of Cuba’s population. In 1869, the population of Cuba was “1,399,809: 763,176 whites, 238,927 free people of color, 34,420 Asians, and 363,286 slaves” (Pg. 37). This was due to sugar, which caused immigrants from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America to come to Cuba and in turn contribute to Cuba’s social, cultural, and political development. It was in the middle 1700s when Cuban colonists cleverly “took advantage of a shifting international situation (the decline of sugar in Brazil with the expulsion of the Dutch; technological developments in the milling process; the Bourbon reforms in the Spanish empire, which stimulated trade; the U.S. revolution,
which cut the colonies’ ties to the British Caribbean and led them to seek other Caribbean trading partners) to exponentially increase the production of sugar – and, inevitably, the numbers of slaves imported” (Pg. 37). Due to the need of labor for sugar, African slavery in Cuba became essential. In fact, “Cuba was among the last areas I the Americas to abolish slavery” (Pg. 37-8). It was also interesting to see how a produce (sugar) could influence a countries political views to accept and hold onto something such as slavery. Sugar to Cuba was very similar in this respect to cotton in the South back then. Even through the onset of the twenty-first century, “despite ups and downs in the export and production of sugar, it has remained a primary feature in Cuba’s society and economy” (Pg. 37). After reading, this I learn that the sugar trade made up a large chunk of Cuba’s economy.
which cut the colonies’ ties to the British Caribbean and led them to seek other Caribbean trading partners) to exponentially increase the production of sugar – and, inevitably, the numbers of slaves imported” (Pg. 37). Due to the need of labor for sugar, African slavery in Cuba became essential. In fact, “Cuba was among the last areas I the Americas to abolish slavery” (Pg. 37-8). It was also interesting to see how a produce (sugar) could influence a countries political views to accept and hold onto something such as slavery. Sugar to Cuba was very similar in this respect to cotton in the South back then. Even through the onset of the twenty-first century, “despite ups and downs in the export and production of sugar, it has remained a primary feature in Cuba’s society and economy” (Pg. 37). After reading, this I learn that the sugar trade made up a large chunk of Cuba’s economy.