Slavery was the mainstay of the colonization process on the American continent, from the 16th century onwards. Far from sticking to a homogeneous form of labor relationship, slavery was marked by the most different characterizations throughout the colonial period. In the case of Portuguese colonization, the use of slaves was always seen as the most viable alternative for the costly exploration ventures to have their proper functionality.
Initially, the Portuguese aspired to use the native labor force so that economic exploitation could be achieved. However, indigenous labor was refuted due to the difficulty of controlling populations that offered greater resistance and also for awakening the interest of the Church in using them as new converts to Catholic Christianity. Still, in the poorest regions, where the labor force was scarcer, the Indians were still used as slaves.
To get around the growing demand for labor, Portugal then decided to invest in the slave trade coming directly from the African coast. This option became viable for two essential reasons: the domain that Portugal already had in regions of the Africa and the profit possibilities that the sale of these slaves could bring to the Crown's coffers Portuguese. In addition, there was support from the Catholic Church itself, which associated Africans with the practice of Islam.
In addition to encouraging the exploration of a new commercial activity, the slave trade also encouraged the development of other economic activities. The naval industry grew by expanding the need for ships that could transport captured blacks. At the same time, it encouraged agricultural activities by expanding, for example, areas where tobacco was planted, an agricultural product usually used as a bargaining chip to obtain slaves.
Obtaining slaves was done through the signing of commercial agreements with some tribes, mainly those located in the region of the Atlantic coast of the continent. In fact, slavery was already part of the social and economic practices of Africans even before the colonial process. In general, this slave population was the result of wars or the application of penalties against those who committed some type of crime.
Since the arrival of the Portuguese in Africa, the practice previously developed in the social and political context of African populations, came to integrate a systematic commercial activity integrated to the mercantilist economy European. In this way, slavery became an essential economic activity. One of the results of this transformation was that, between the 15th and 19th centuries, the number of slaves from the African coast surpassed the 11 million mark.
Brought into the colonial environment, these slaves were usually separated from their friends and family in order to avoid any attempt to escape. After being sold to a large landowner, the slaves were used to work in large monocultures and collected in a collective housing known as a slave quarters. This type of slave was known as field slave or eito slave and made up a large part of the slave population of the colony.
The work routine of these slaves was arduous and could reach a shift of eighteen hours a day. Living conditions were precarious, their food was extremely limited and they did not have any kind of assistance or guarantee. Furthermore, those who rebelled against the imposed routine were killed or tortured. In the face of so much adversity, the average life of a field slave rarely extended beyond twenty years.
Other types of slaves also made up the colonial environment. Domestic slaves who lived inside the houses had better living conditions and had the relative confidence of their owners. Household positions were usually occupied by slaves charged with taking care of the house, children and even being sexually available to their master. In cities, we still have the figure of slaves for gain, who could revert profit to their owner when taking care of a trade or selling products.
Many slaves, when not submitted to the exploitation process, articulated plans to escape and developed self-sufficient communities customarily called quilombos. In these places of escape, they developed a small agriculture associated with artisanal activities constituted with the objective of meeting the demands of the community itself. Among the main quilombos, we highlight Palmares, which developed in Alagoas, in the Serra da Barriga region. Considered the main focus of black resistance, Palmares was only destroyed at the end of the 17th century.
Having a strong presence in the historical development of Brazilian society, African slavery brought profound marks to the present. Among other problems, we highlight the devaluation attributed to manual activities, an immense process of socioeconomic exclusion and, above all, the issue of racial prejudice. Even deposited in the past, we can see that the legacy of our slavery past echoes in the constitution of Brazilian society.
By Rainer Sousa
Master in History
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