1.5: Labor, Slavery, and Caste in Spanish America

Way before the African Slave Trade…

People sold into slavery were __prisoners of war__ or __payment for the death of another person__

* they had __legal rights__, bondage was not __permanent__ or __inheritable__

What were Europeans justification for enslaving people?

In the 15th and 16th century, they stated that it was __biblical__ to enslave them; however, that is not what the bible says

Encomiendo

system that led men called __encomanderos__ have portion of land and all the natives that lived on that land

Monarchs of Spain issued a legal document called __Requerimento__

* __Pope__ granted spanish authority to claim lands in the Americas and __convert people into Christainity__ by priests
* Some Native Americans did convert but still found themselves enslaved

Natives died from diseases and __knew the land better than the Spaniards__, thus they managed to __escape__ and never be seen again…

Best solution was to __import African people__

The gov. needed a way to __tax,__ thus they imposed a __caste system__:

1. Peninsulares → people __born in Spain on the iberian peninsula__
2. Criollos → people who were __Spanish__ but __born__ in the __Americas__
3. Mestizos → people of __Spanish and Native American ancestry__
4. Mulattoes → people of __Spanish and African ancestry__
5. Africans
6. Native Americans