Spanish ColoniesTwo Colonies

New Spain

Peru

What is this in green?

Colonial Government

New World colony was divided into two viceroyalties.

The ruler was a viceroy who directly answered to the king.

Each colony was divided into encomiendas (kind of like states)

Encomienda System

A Spanish person was given land

Land included the Native population (as slaves for farming or mining)

New Spain Class Structure (hierarchy)

Peninsulares

Creoles

Mestizos

Indian Slaves

Spaniards from Spain

Full blood Spaniard born in New WorldMixed race Spaniard Father/

Indian mother. Few Spanish women came to New world. Men oftentimes married Indian women

1500s

Indian slaves were a major part of the labor force

Treated harshly, often beaten or killed for the smallest infraction

Bartolomé de las Casas, a Spanish Priest fought for better treatment of Indians

- pass out primary source documents

Spaniards and Aztecs (question#3)

“The New Laws of the Indies” 1542

The Spanish Crown and Catholic Church opposed the enslavement of Native Indians

They did NOT oppose the enslavement of Africans