Discover a vast trove of American history in Spanish archives.
This Descriptive Catalogue organizes the Cuban papers that illuminate early United States history, drawn from the Archives of the Indies in Seville. It offers a guided entry into a monumental collection, with practical notes on how to use it for research.
This edition explains why the material matters, how it was gathered, and how scholars can approach the giant mass of documents. It highlights the scope of the Archives of the Indies and explains the selection of 143 legajos as the most important for U.S. history, along with a concise calendar of about 58,000 documents. Readers will also find introductions to the contents and a plan that helps researchers navigate the material with confidence.
- Learn how the Cuban papers shed light on Louisiana, West Florida, Mobile, Pensacola, and related American histories.
- Understand the structure of the legajos, the kinds of correspondence, and the key topics (finances, military posts, trade, land grants, and more).
- Get guidance on using the manuscript calendars and the accompanying index to locate material quickly.
- See how a large archive is distilled into a usable research tool for studying early U.S.–Spanish relations.
Ideal for scholars of early American history, archival researchers, and students seeking primary sources from Spain’s colonial records.Ideal for readers of historical research on the United States and its ties to Caribbean and Iberian archives.