▁to ▁gain ▁freedom . ▁As ▁Christian ity ▁was ▁the ▁dominant ▁faith ▁in ▁Spain , ▁it ▁was ▁considered ▁respect ful ▁for ▁slaves ▁to ▁adopt ▁this ▁religion ▁as ▁their ▁own ▁and ▁abandon ▁their ▁former ▁religious ▁belief s . ▁A ▁willing ness ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁this ▁conversion ▁led ▁to ▁better ▁treatment ▁and ▁a ▁closer ▁relationship ▁between ▁slaves ▁and ▁their ▁own ers . ▁It ▁also ▁gave ▁them ▁a ▁better ▁chance ▁of ▁being ▁accepted ▁into ▁Spanish ▁society ▁following ▁their ▁freedom . ▁As ▁pun ishment ▁for ▁bad ▁behavior , ▁they ▁would ▁force ▁the ▁slaves ▁to ▁drink ▁har sh ▁drink s . ▁ ▁Spanish ▁sla very ▁numbers ▁( trans at l antic ▁slave ▁trade ) ▁Although ▁sla very ▁in ▁Spain ▁had ▁existed ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁trans - at l antic ▁slave ▁trade , ▁it ▁is ▁important ▁to ▁see ▁Spain ' s ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁trade . ▁Spain ' s ▁connection ▁to ▁the ▁trade ▁with ▁Africa ▁was ▁minor ▁with ▁only ▁ 1 8 5 ▁voy ages ▁and ▁ 6 1 , 0 0 0 ▁slaves ▁from ▁the ▁continent ▁from ▁ 1 5 0 0 - 1 8 0 0 . ▁This ▁comp ares ▁to ▁almost ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁voy ages ▁and ▁over ▁ 7 ▁million ▁slaves ▁emb ark ed ▁in ▁total ▁by ▁all ▁nations ▁from ▁ 1 5 0 0 - 1 8 0 0 . ▁However , ▁from ▁ 1 8 0 0 - 1 8 6 6 , ▁the ▁Spanish ▁increased ▁their ▁voy ages ▁to ▁ 1 , 5 0 0 ▁and ▁number