The Native Americans in the Spanish Empire

Class system developed in Spain’s American Empire

• Social Hierarchy –

Peninsulare

Creole

Mestizo

Natives

Slaves

In the 1500’s the Spanish government:

• Granted each conquistador an ecomienda– Right to demand taxes and labor from the

Native Americans living on that land.– Turned Native Americans into slaves.– Forced to work on plantations

• Large farms that raised cash crops, such as coffee, cotton, sugar.

• Exported to Europe.

Missions

• Tried to replace Native American traditions and religion with Catholicism

The “Protector of the Natives”

• “How can someone serve God and enslave Natives at the same time?”

• Bartolome de Las Casa

• Spanish priest who spoke out against the mistreatment of the Natives.