Manuela Beltrán
Manuela Beltran | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1750 Villa del Socorro, Santander, Viceroyalty of New Granada |
Died | unknown date unknown place |
Manuela Beltrán was a Neogranadine woman who organized a peasant revolt against excess taxation in 1780.[1]
General settings
The information concerning the biography of Manuela Beltran is scarce and fragmented. It is believed she was of peasant origin, was born around 1750, and lived most of her life in Villa del Socorro, Santander, where she ran her own small grocery store, at the main square of Socorro; at the time, in the Viceroyalty of New Granada, it was very uncommon for a woman to own her own business. Besides, Beltran was one of the few people in the region that could read and write, given the virtually complete illiteracy of the population due to the absence of education facilities.[2]
The taxation
During the first half of the 18th century, the
The major actions they took part in during this period were:
These military actions demanded a large amount of money and resources, which resulted in larger taxations for the people living in the colonies. The new harsh taxation regimen (implemented and promoted by General Visitor Juan Francisco Gutiérrez de Piñeres, and ratified by the Viceroy and Archbishop Antonio Caballero y Góngora) included the raise on the Alcabala, taxes over the consumption of Aguardiente and Tobacco, taxes over the entry of merchandises, and a sales tax.
The revolt
The edict of the new taxation regimen was placed in the main square of Socorro on March 16, 1781. Since Beltran could read, she informed the crowd about the dispositions, which was greeted with general outrage. She tore apart the document and led the
Cultural relevancy
- Manuela Beltran is a common name for elementary schools, institutions and neighborhoods throughout Colombia.
- A popular television series in Colombia in the 1980s was based on her life.[citation needed]
- Manuela Beltrán University is named after her.
References
- ^ Phelan, John Leddy: "El pueblo y el rey. La revolución comunera en Colombia, 1781". Bogotá: Carlos Valencia.
- ^ ESTALLA LA REVUELTA DE LOS COMUNEROS Archived 2007-10-14 at the Wayback Machine Revolt of the Comuneros (in Spanish)
- ^ "Historia Infantería Marina".
- ^ "Beltrán, Manuela (1724–?) | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-03-31.