Economic and social vicissitudes of the city of santa marta to resist in the 16th and 17th centurie

Abstract

The city of Santa Marta, located in the Colombian Caribbean, near the mouth of the Manzanares river, was one of the first cities founded by the Spanish in America. The author says: “The Spanish crown founded a large number of cities, villages and settlements in America, with the purpose of serving the imperial policy of territorial expansion.” In the beginning, neglected by the Spanish crown – `although Your Majesty has no income coming from here, the city endured out of the tenacity and effort of its inhabitants, who rejected the idea of leaving the town against all odds and the shortage of mineral riches. The lack of soldiers weakened the city, which couldn’t afford the stay of 50 soldiers, making the town unable to contain the passing and disembarking of looters or plunderers. uring the 16th and 17th Centuries, the city was frequented by pirates – “It was attacked almost 20 times” -, which sparked the scattering of its inhabitants, who sought refuge in the farms nearby or emigrated to more secure cities. Because of this, by the 17th Century the city “was no more than a small village, with a small population and less than thirty houses spread over six or eight blocks