AP World History | Unit 4: Labor Systems

Descriptions of labor systems, as described in AP World History from 1450 to 1750.

encomienda

• Implemented by Spanish conquistadores

• Spanish colonists given land in conquered territories

• Purpose: educate, convert, ensure wellbeing of indigenous people

• Indigenous people: provide tribute from the land

• Often abused by overseers, including priests

• Spanish government's way to reward conquistadores and establish governance

New Laws (encomienda)

• Spanish American colonies

• Encomiendas to be passed to the Spanish crown after owner's death

• Native Peruvians granted rights as Spanish citizens

• Indigenous people couldn't be forced to work, reasonable tribute allowed

• Abuse led to encomienda revocation

• Spanish elites upset, led to civil wars

• Appointment of new Viceroy Nunez

• Gonzalo Pizarro rebellion, capture, and execution

• Encomiendas overseen by corregidores after reverting to the crown

chattel slavery

• British American colonies

• Heritable slavery, passed down generations

• Slaves treated as commodities, bought and sold

• Race-based laws in British American colonies

• Enslaved for life, children born enslaved

• Emancipation during the Civil War

• Ratification of the 13th Amendment in Dec. 1865

serfdom

• Russia

• 1649 Code of Law

• Most serfs property of estates

• Owners had control, could sell or beat serfs

• Censuses counted 4/5 of Russian peasantry as serfs

• Rebellions and escape to join Cossacks

• Emancipation in 1861 by Emperor Alexander II

• Full rights of free citizens, redemption tax imposed

mit’a

• Incan Empire; Spanish American colonies

• Pre-colonization: labor for construction and public works

• Post-colonization: forced labor in mines, workshops, agriculture

• System abused by Spanish, leading to rebellions

• Population decline, less workforce

• Depletion of silver mines led to the end of mita system in 1812

indentured servitude

• British American colonies

• Passage paid for poor individuals

• Worked for passage payer for 5-7 years

• Primary labor source in early American colonies

• Bacon's Rebellion against Governor Berkeley

• Rebellion hardened racial lines

• Contributed to the appeal of chattel slavery