The AP® United States History exam covers hundreds of topics over several centuries of American history, and in order to earn a high score, you’ll need to be familiar with all of them. Luckily for you, in this APUSH crash course we will review the most important aspects of one frequently tested APUSH topic: the encomienda system.
The Encomienda System: What is It?
The term “encomienda” refers to a system of dependency relationships, in which the stronger party protects the weaker party in exchange for a service. During the 16th century, Spanish imperialists employed the encomienda system during their conquest of the Americas and the Philippines.
The Spanish monarch would assign a Spaniard a plot of land and a specific group of Native Americans, whom he would “protect.” The Spanish lord would protect his group of natives from pirates and warring tribes in exchange for their unpaid labor. The encomenderos(Spaniards assigned land and people) also were assigned the task of Christianizing the Native Americans “given” to them. Although in name indigenous people were assigned to be in charge of the labor, the natives were vastly mistreated. This setup led to decades of enslavement and exploitation of Native American peoples and perpetuated the cruel domination by the Spanish in the New World.
Since its establishment in 1512, the encomienda system was under scrutiny. On the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), where the system was especially prevalent and harsh, priest Bartolomé de las Casas protested the institution of encomienda. He pushed for the New Laws in 1542, which gave indigenous peoples certain rights and allowed for the gradual abolition of the encomienda system. However, these laws were met with revolts from the encomenderos who were in charge of plots of land with slave labor. Ultimately the encomienda system continued until 1717.
Historical Context
The 16th century was a “golden age” for the Spanish monarchy; after the voyages of Christopher Columbus, the Spanish continued expanding their imperial conquests and created a global empire that spread across the Iberian Peninsula, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Spanish explorers who ventured to the New World were known as conquistadores, or “conquerors.”
The Spanish took advantage of the rich resources in the New World, especially gold, silver, corn, indigo, and sugar cane. In order to make use of these resources and still make a profit, the Spaniards instituted a system of slavery so they would have a constant supply of free labor in their colonies. The Spanish often divided up communities and families in the Caribbean to fit their own labor needs.
For the APUSH exam, it’s also helpful to have an idea of the aftermath of the encomiendasystem. Eventually, the encomienda system was replaced by repartimiento, in which the native workers were allotted directly to the Spanish monarchy rather than individual Spaniards in the colonies. The natives were then assigned to settlers for a certain amount of time, usually only for a few weeks. This system was intended to reduce the amount of abuse of the workers. However, slavery-like conditions generally persisted, especially in the mining industries.
Why is the Encomienda System Important?
The AP® United States History test will not only expect you to know the facts about encomienda, but also its significance.The encomienda system reveals one of the earliest instances of protest against slave labor and mistreatment of native peoples in the New World. Bartolomé de las Casas had an enormous influence on the passage of the New Laws that would phase out the system, although this abolition was delayed by the Spanish crown.
In addition, the encomienda system had a large impact on the tradition of intermarriage between races in the New World. Because Spanish law prevented mestizos, or people of mixed race, from being called for labor, many indigenous people began seeking out marriages with white people and Creoles so that their children could escape the encomienda system. In some areas, the pattern of intermarriage was so prevalent that the Spanish were forced to seek labor from other sources, eventually turning to the African slave trade that would become so influential in early America and in the United States.
What You Need to Know for the APUSH Exam – Multiple Choice
The multiple choice section of the AP® United States History exam will ask you more fact-based questions with specific and concrete answers. This differs from the written section, which will ask you to make comparisons and connections across US history and among different movements and concepts.
For APUSH multiple choice questions about the encomienda system, you should know key figures like Bartolomé de las Casas, the priest of Hispaniola who protested. Also be able to recognize the names of the Spanish monarchs of this period: Ferdinand and Isabella. They funded the majority of conquistador expeditions to the new world.
Also, familiarize yourself with the motives behind the Spanish expeditions to the Caribbean and the Americas, especially the natural resources and precious metals as well as Christianization. These motives and the scale of harvesting created the need for a large and cheap labor force, which the Spanish found in the form of slavery. AP® US History multiple choice questions often ask about motives, whether political, economic, or social, so make sure you can understand the purpose of the encomienda system.
College Board does not release multiple choice questions from the APUSH exam; however, the APUSH course framework can give you an idea of what they are likely to ask about. Here is an example question similar to one that might appear on the exam:
“The encomienda system implemented by the Spanish empire in the New World was intended to serve which purpose?
a. method of farming that would result in the greatest outcome of produce
b. a form of government where indigenous leaders and Spanish conquistadors were given highest authority
c. a system of large manors and estates with Indian slaves managed for the benefits of the conquistadors
d. to militarily protect the conquered Spanish lands from foreign invaders
e. a system of trade between Spain and its acquired lands”
(Correct answer: C. The encomienda system was not a system of trade, as stated in answer E. Although the system did have to do with agriculture, it was not designed with production values in mind, as in A. Encomienda did include a policy of protection, but this was for the benefit of indigenous people, not lands as in D. Answer B is the nearly correct, but indigenous leaders were not held on equal standing with the conquistadors. Letter C is the most correct answer choice.)
What You Need to Know for the APUSH Exam – Essays and Document Based Questions
Fortunately, neither the document based question nor any of the essays on the APUSH exam will focus exclusively on any events prior to 1607, which includes the encomienda system. However, if you feel confident in your knowledge of this system, you can tie it in to free response questions about the origins of slavery in the Americas; the earlier stages of colonialism; or the tradition of protests against slavery. You may also mention the religious motives or the importance of crops and precious metals to the Europeans who would later arrive in the present-day United States.
With this APUSH crash course as a tool, you can tackle any questions about the encomienda system on the AP® US History exam in May. If you remember the key players and motives, you’ll be well on your way to a high score.
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