Started in 1529 and ended in 1873. or when did it It legally allowed the Spaniards to work the Indigenous people literally to death in the fields and mines. Natives were required to perform a fixed amount of labor. [19] Although expecting Spanish protection from warring tribes, the islanders sought to join the Spanish forces. 2 See answers Advertisement Mira Caballos, Esteban. The other major form of coerced labor in their colonies, the encomienda system, was also abolished, . In reality, the . In 1501 Isabella I of Castile declared Native Americans as subjects to the Crown, and so, as Castilians and legal equals to Spanish Castilians. Native Americans were also enslaved in Florida by the encomienda system. The Spanish monarchs abolished the encomienda system when they realized how cruel and abusive it was. Although the encomienda was not officially abolished until the late 18th century, in September 1721 the conferment of new encomiendas in Spain's colonies was prohibited. With the major native empires in Mexico and Peru in ruins, the Spanish had to put a new system of government in place. These were codified in the Laws of Burgos of 1512 and again in the New Laws of 1542. Cortez conquered the Aztec empire, then imposed encomienda in the parts of New Spain under his control. Give Me Liberty-An American History-Chapter 1 Flashcards | Quizlet The encomienda system was different from slavery on paper, but not all that different in practice. The owners of the encomiendas were not supposed to ever visit the encomienda lands: this was supposed to cut down on abuses. [3] Bobadilla was succeeded by a royal governor, Fray Nicols de Ovando, who established the formal encomienda system. ." Natives remained legally free. Spanish Casta System Overview & Purpose | What was the Casta System? The system was formally abolished in 1720, but had lost effectiveness much earlier. Minster, Christopher. Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1991. Encyclopedia.com. [25], The liberation of thousands of Native Americans held in bondage throughout the Spanish empire by the new viceroy, Blasco Nez Vela, on his journey to Peru, led to his eventual murder and armed conflict between the encomenderos and the Spanish crown which ended with the execution of those encomenderos involved. Eventually, the encomienda system was replaced by the repartimiento system, but it was not abolished until the late 18th century. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/encomienda. Create your account. He has an MA in economics from the University of California. The Spanish Era in the Philippines - Knoji In Bolivia and Peru, revolutions and influential leaders helped to eliminate the hacienda system from these countries.