The Moret Law was a form of

freedom of wombs Freedom of wombs ( es, Libertad de vientres, pt, Lei do Ventre Livre), also referred to as free birth or the law of wombs, was a 19th century judicial concept in several Latin American countries, that declared that all wombs bore free children. A ...

, which was implemented by Spain in

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

and

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

, and named after

Segismundo Moret Segismundo Moret y Prendergast (2 June 1833 – 28 January 1913) was a Spanish politician and writer. He was the prime minister of Spain on three occasions and the president of the Congress of Deputies on two occasions. Biography Moret was bor ...

who was Spain's Minister of Overseas Territories at the time. This law implemented the abolition of slavery incrementally in Spain's Caribbean colonies. It drew from older Later American manumission traditions such as the way favorite slaves have been previously liberated under certain conditions.

History

Latin America was one of the last holdouts of slavery in the Americas but after the United States Civil War in 1865, international pressure forced Spain to end slavery. Slavery was never formally abolished in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

itself, but had gradually declined into insignificance there by the early-mid nineteenth century. The Moret Law was approved in Spain on July 4, 1870 for application in Cuba and later Puerto Rico, with other colonies following. This development was mainly attributed to the efforts of Moret,

Roman Baldorioty de Castro Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

Luis Padial Brigadier General Luis Padial (February 6, 1832 – March 5, 1879), was a soldier, politician and one of the most important figures who was responsible for the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico. Early years Padial, (birth name: Luis Padial ...

, and

Julio Vizcarrondo Julio Vizcarrondo Coronado (December 9, 1829 – 1889) was a Puerto Rican abolitionist, journalist, politician and religious leader. He played an instrumental role in the development and passage of the Moret Law which in 1873 abolished slave ...

. Spain also passed the law with the desire to preempt the independence movement in the colonies. The law granted freedom to children born to enslaved mothers after September 18, 1868, a date chosen to honor of the liberal revolution that swept Spain in 1869. It also freed slaves who served in the Spanish army (particularly those who fought in the

Ten Years' War The Ten Years' War ( es, Guerra de los Diez Años; 1868–1878), also known as the Great War () and the War of '68, was part of Cuba's fight for independence from Spain. The uprising was led by Cuban-born planters and other wealthy natives. O ...

), slaves over 60 years old (along with slaves who turned 60 thereafter), and slaves who were owned by the Spanish government. The Spanish government compensated slave owners 125 pesetas for each slave emancipated under the Moret Law. Slavery was abolished for Puerto Rico (but not for Cuba) in 1873 and finally, without exceptions, in 1886.

References

External links

Text of the Moret Law (in Spanish) from the Internet Archive
Social history of Puerto Rico Slavery in Cuba Slavery legislation {{hist-stub