The Encomienda System in Spanish America

8 Questions

What was the Encomienda System in Spanish America?

It was a system where Spanish settlers were granted the legal right to extract forced labor from indigenous tribal chiefs in exchange for military protection and the opportunity to be converted to Christianity.

What is the origin of the term 'encomienda'?

It was derived from the verb encomendar, meaning 'to entrust'.

When was the Encomienda System extended to the Americas colonies, and why?

It was extended from 1502 as a means to extract resources and as a reward for conquistadors.

Was the Encomienda System equivalent to slavery?

No, it was not equivalent to slavery, although thousands of indigenous peoples suffered what was, in practical reality, slavery in all but name.

What benefits did the indigenous peoples receive from the Encomienda System?

They were given protection from other European settlers and adventurers.

How long was the encomienda usually granted for, and was it hereditary?

It was usually granted for life, but it was not hereditary, and the right could even be held by municipalities.

What happened to the encomienda of a deceased holder?

It usually reverted to the Crown with a small provision made to a surviving widow and any children.

Who protested against the encomienda system, and what did he do?

Bartolomé de las Casas protested against the encomienda system and wrote a graphic description of just what was going on in the New World in his A Very Brief Recital of the Destruction of the Indies of 1522.

Study Notes

The Encomienda System in Spanish America: Feudal Origins, Labour vs Souls, and Protest & Change

The Encomienda was a system in Spanish America where Spanish settlers were granted the legal right to extract forced labor from indigenous tribal chiefs in exchange for military protection and the opportunity to be converted to Christianity.
Encomienda was a feudal term which derived from the verb encomendar, meaning "to entrust".
The encomienda system was extended to the Americas colonies from 1502 as a means to extract resources and as a reward for conquistadors.
The encomienda was not slavery, which the pope had prohibited in 1537, although thousands of indigenous peoples suffered what was, in practical reality, slavery in all but name.
The indigenous peoples were given protection from other European settlers and adventurers, and the encomendero could benefit from free labor for any purpose whatsoever.
The encomienda was usually granted for life but was not hereditary, and the right could even be held by municipalities.
The encomienda of a deceased holder usually reverted to the Crown with a small provision made to a surviving widow and any children.
The European attitude might have eased a few consciences on their side, but the indigenous peoples did not often see the relationship in these terms, and thousands suffered maltreatment and significant population reductions from diseases.
Bartolomé de las Casas protested against the encomienda system and wrote a graphic description of just what was going on in the New World in his A Very Brief Recital of the Destruction of the Indies of 1522.
The situation became so serious for the stability of internal affairs and European-Indian relations that there was even a move to abolish the encomienda in 1542, but the system continued until the first years of the 18th century.
The encomienda was replaced by the repartimiento system, which also involved forced labor, but this time the workers received a wage, albeit a low one.
The low wages were a poor compensation for being uprooted from one's family and community, but it was a step forward in comparison to the encomienda system.