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Poblar la frontera: La provincia de Santa Bárbara en Nueva Vizcaya durante los siglos xvi y xvii
Poblar la Frontera is an innovative study of the northern expansion of the Spanish empire in the Americas into the frontier region that was called Nueva Vizcaya during the latter decades of the sixteenth century and into the early seventeenth century, the nucleus of which was the province of Santa Bárbara.
479 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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April 16, 2014
This is a gem of a book. although it is challenging to obtain a copy, it can be requested vi Inter-Library loan. Chantal Cramaussel is an outstanding research and scholar who has delved into numerous primary documents of the 16th and 17th centuries related to the geographic area Santa Bárbara located in what was once known as the realm of Nueva Vizcaya that today straddles the northern part of the State of Durango and the southern part of the State of Chihuahua.
Part 1 deals with the Spanish settlement of the region and the population of mine owners and mine workers, as well as the Indian groups. Part 2 looks at the development of the communities of San Bartolomé and San José del Parral, including details about haciendas and dwellings. Part 3 offers a study of the demographics of the early settlement years (1567-1630) followed by the population explosion of the region beginning with the major discovery of silver in the area of Parral (1631-1700.
Part 4 of the book offers a unique examination of the Indian and African/Black population that served as worker on the Spanish haciendas and in the numerous mines. Part 5 examines the migration of Spanish citizens and the formation of the dominant class of individuals and families that met with the most success and establish the regional oligarchy that dominated the social, political and economic areas of influence. Part 6 concentrates on the ways the citizens and worker made their living that Cramaussel divides into two main categories: 1) subsistence via mining, livestock, and farming; and 2) commercial trade, transporting goods, artisan skills, domestic work, and professional services.
The appendices contain several very useful transcriptions of original documents. In particular, there are five censuses: 1) Residents of Monserrat, 1646; 2) Residents of Santa Bárbara, 1649; 3) Residents of San Diego, 1649; 3) Residents of Parral, 1650; and 5) a list of Portuguese residents of the region of Santa Bárbara in the 17th century.
"Poblar la Frontera" is an outstanding work of scholarship and a major contribution to understanding the early of the Spanish presence in the northern frontier of the Spanish Americas.
Part 1 deals with the Spanish settlement of the region and the population of mine owners and mine workers, as well as the Indian groups. Part 2 looks at the development of the communities of San Bartolomé and San José del Parral, including details about haciendas and dwellings. Part 3 offers a study of the demographics of the early settlement years (1567-1630) followed by the population explosion of the region beginning with the major discovery of silver in the area of Parral (1631-1700.
Part 4 of the book offers a unique examination of the Indian and African/Black population that served as worker on the Spanish haciendas and in the numerous mines. Part 5 examines the migration of Spanish citizens and the formation of the dominant class of individuals and families that met with the most success and establish the regional oligarchy that dominated the social, political and economic areas of influence. Part 6 concentrates on the ways the citizens and worker made their living that Cramaussel divides into two main categories: 1) subsistence via mining, livestock, and farming; and 2) commercial trade, transporting goods, artisan skills, domestic work, and professional services.
The appendices contain several very useful transcriptions of original documents. In particular, there are five censuses: 1) Residents of Monserrat, 1646; 2) Residents of Santa Bárbara, 1649; 3) Residents of San Diego, 1649; 3) Residents of Parral, 1650; and 5) a list of Portuguese residents of the region of Santa Bárbara in the 17th century.
"Poblar la Frontera" is an outstanding work of scholarship and a major contribution to understanding the early of the Spanish presence in the northern frontier of the Spanish Americas.
Displaying 1 of 1 review