New Granada Revolution

Brutal forced labor has been going on before we were even born. It normally occurs in areas were there is labor scarcity. There are different labor regimes that differ from each other by the way that they extract surpluses. Labor has been conscripted seasonally depending for what season they need the people that were chosen from the villages and families. Some were bonded to specific timings, others were chosen without warning. This benefited the people who were in power, but it harmed those who were set in stone to work.

Antonio Vazquez de Espinosa was a Spanish Carmelite monk who gave up a scholarly life in favor of missionary work in the New World. He died in 1630. He wrote in detail how forced labor and life was like in the Americas. His story was not known during his life time, but the detailed writing seemed as if it was intended to be read by those who did not know how life was like in the New World.

-Huanacavelica had 400 Spanish residents, as well as as temporary shops and dealers in merchandise and groceries. Had a parish church with vicar and curate, a Dominican convent, and a Royal hospital to take care of the sick, especially Indians on the range. It had a chaplain with a salary of 800 assay pesos. Every 2 months their majesty sent by regular courier from Lima 60,000 pesos to pay the forced labor of the Indians, for the crews are changed every 2 months, so that merely for the Indian mita payment 360,000 pesos are sent from Lima every year. There are 3,000 - 4,000 Indians working in the mine.

This is an extract from Antonio Vazquez de Espinosa when visiting the Huanacavelica Mining. “When I was in that town the excavation so extensive that it held more than 3,000 Indians working away hard with picks and hammers, breaking up that flint ore; and when they have filled their little sacks, the poor fellows, loaded down with ore, climb up those ladders or rigging, some like masts and others like cables, and so trying and distressing that a man empty-handed can hardly get up them. That is the way they work in this mine, with many lights and the loud noise of the pounding and great confusion. Nor is that the greatest evil and difficulty; that is due to thievish and undisciplined superintendents.” Iy clearly seems like they have a very hard time and labor conditions.

Silver mining in Potasí was complicated, the settlement was too big, consequently, more voluntary labor as well as conscripted labor was necessary to haul supplies up and silver ore down. The mine owners on this massive range have the right to the mita of 13,300 Indians in the working and exploitation of the mines.