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Difficulty: EasySpanish Encomienda and Labor Systems

"Because of the excessive liberty the Indians have, they run away... and do not want to work, but wander about... We command you to compel the Indians to associate with the Spanish... and to work in their buildings, and to gather and mine gold and other metals, and to till the fields... and you must pay them the wages you think they deserve... and see to it that they are instructed in our Holy Catholic Faith..."
— Royal Decree to Governor Nicolás de Ovando of Hispaniola, 1503

Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the Spanish policy outlined in the excerpt?

  1. To extract economic value from Native American labor while converting them to Christianity.Answer
  2. B
    To grant Spanish conquistadors absolute, permanent ownership of Native American land.
  3. C
    To establish a system of voluntary contract labor modeled on European indentured servitude.
  4. D
    To treat all Indigenous groups as a single homogeneous society with equal legal protections under the Spanish Crown.

Answer

To extract economic value from Native American labor while converting them to Christianity.
The correct answer is correct because the Spanish encomienda system was designed to extract tribute and coerced labor (in fields and gold mines) from Native American populations while legally requiring Spanish settlers (encomenderos) to convert them to Christianity and instruct them in the Catholic faith.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the historical source context and details.
The source is a 1503 royal decree ordering Spanish officials to compel Native Americans to work in fields and mines, and to instruct them in the Catholic faith.
This establishes that the system combined coerced economic labor with religious conversion.
2
Identify the historical system being described.
The system described is the encomienda system, which was the primary Spanish labor system in the early colonization period.
Understanding the system helps differentiate its actual characteristics from common misconceptions.
3
Evaluate the options against the primary purpose shown in the text.
The correct option accurately reflects the dual goals of resource extraction and Christianization. Other options misrepresent the system as a land grant, voluntary labor, or equal protection policy.
This confirms the correct option is the one focusing on extracting economic value and converting the population.

Key Concept

The Spanish encomienda system relied on the forced labor of Native Americans and the promotion of religious conversion to support the Spanish colonial economy.
Estimated Time:45s
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Spanish Encomienda and Labor Systems

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