Abstract

JIMENEZ OSPINA, Laura. Freedom Rumors during the Insurrection of the Comuneros in the Province of Antioquia (1781-1782). Front. hist. [online]. 2023, vol.28, n.2, pp.173-198.  Epub July 01, 2023. ISSN 2027-4688.  https://doi.org/10.22380/20274688.2496.

This article examines the rumors that circulated between 1781 and 1781 about a royal decree granting freedom to slaves in the province of Antioquia during the Insurrection of the Comuneros in the Nuevo Reino de Granada. Drawing on an original judicial file of the legal proceeding against some slaves during this period, we analyze the sociability networks among slaves and elites in the local town council, as well as the points of contact between elites and slaves. Our central research question is why and how these rumors spread. Our analysis shows that the dissemination of rumors about freedom can be understood as a form of resistance the slaves, who used these rumors to challenge the legitimacy of the slave system. These findings shed light on a new aspect of the history of slavery in Antioquia and contribute to a better understanding of the role of rumors in political and social movements.

Keywords : freedom; slavery; Nuevo Reino de Granada; rumors; Antioquia.

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