A Microhistory of Early Modern Transatlantic Migration by Salamanca Rodríguez, Alejandro;

Short description:

Through a microscopical lens, the book delves into the lives of some of the migrants linked to the Agata, either as members of the crew —a ship, after all, is a moving workplace—, as passengers, or as people sending letters through the ship.

Long description:

This microhistory of early modern transatlantic migration follows the journey of the Agata, a Dutch frigate hired by Spanish merchants in 1747 to travel between Cádiz and Veracruz. Manned by migrants from across Europe, the Agata was intercepted by British privateers on its return trip, an event that led to the preservation of most of the documents on board, including a collection of personal letters.

Through a microscopical lens, this book delves into the lives of some of the migrants linked to the Agata, either as members of the crew —a ship, after all, is a moving workplace— as passengers, or as people sending letters through the ship. Their stories and anecdotes illustrate how early modern migrants in the Spanish Atlantic navigated the often-restrictive migration laws, stayed connected with family and friends back home, sent remittances and gifts, and built networks to support new migrants.

A Microhistory of Early Modern Transatlantic Migration is written for anyone interested in the history of migration, regardless of their familiarity with the specific historical context. It aims to engage both specialists and general readers interested in migration, labour, seafaring, and social history. This book also seeks to bridge some gaps between contemporary migration studies and migration history, serving as an introduction to these fields for non-specialist readers while providing new insights from unpublished sources not previously examined by other historians, and offered in translation.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Microhistory

Migration history

Migration in the early modern Atlantic

Letters as a Source for the History of Migration

The Agata’s Letters in Context

Structure and sources

Chapter 1: The Master and his Family

Sanlúcar de Barrameda: A City of Migrants

Life Before the Agata

Becoming Shipmaster

Letters from Mexico

News From the Family

Letters to Spain

Chapter 2: The Agata’s Journey

From Zaandam to Spain

A Dutch Ship in Cádiz

War, Privateering and Trade

The charterers

Preparations for the Journey

From Cádiz to New Spain

The Agata in Veracruz

Missing Havana

The Capture and the Captors

Chapter 3: The Agata’s Migrants

Mobile Workers

A Multinational Crew

Life on the Agata

Regular and Irregular Migration in the Spanish Atlantic

Blending in: Citizenship and Belonging in New Spain

A Free Black in Mexico

Return Passengers: from Batavia to Veracruz

Chapter 4: The Agata’s Letters

Letters to Migrants Sent From Sanlúcar

From Josepha Croquer in Sanlúcar de Barrameda to Her Nephew Antonio

From Juan Franchois in Seville to Juan de Espinosa y Eliguisamon

Letters From Migrants in Mexico to Sanlúcar

From Joseph de Vargas to a Woman Named Catalina

From Joseph de Ribas to His Wife Rosa Francisca de Ribas y Aguilar

From Bartholome Rodríguez de Reina to His Relative Roman de Bargas

Two Letters of Recommendation

Chapter 5: A Father and a Son

A Commercial Agent and His Son

Letters and Themes

From Juan to Ángela Vallejo

From Juan to Bernardo Fallon

The Valderrama Family

From Juan to Luis

From Juan to Pantaleona

From Joaquín to Pantaleona

From Joaquín to Antonio and Luis

Conclusion

Bibliography