What was the ‘encomienda system’?
In the economies of the Spanish colonies, Indian labor was used to support plantation-based agriculture and extract precious metals and other resources. EX: sugar, silver
The ‘encomienda system’ was a labor system that was established by the Spanish colonizers in the Americas during the 16th century. Under this system, Spanish conquistadors were granted the right by the Spanish Crown to demand tribute and labor from the indigenous peoples living in a particular area. In exchange for their services, the Spanish promised to protect the indigenous people and convert them to Catholicism. The encomenderos held complete authority over the laborers and were obligated to provide education and religious instruction to the laborers.
The encomienda system was highly exploitative and abusive, as the indigenous people were forced to work for long hours and were frequently subjected to physical abuse and other forms of mistreatment. The system was abolished in many areas of the Spanish empire in the 18th century, primarily due to the efforts of the Church and human rights advocates who sought to protect the native peoples from exploitation. However, the legacy of the encomienda system continues to influence the socio-economic and cultural landscape of many Latin American countries today.
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