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Article: Born into debt.
- Article from:
- Calliope
- Article date:
- May 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In 1542, the New Laws promoted by the Spanish colonist Father Bartoleme de Las Casas took effect. These laws declared Native Americans to be free subjects of the king of Spain and prohibited forced labor, that is, the practice of encomienda.
Encomienda (Spanish for "entrusted") began because the conquerors and settlers of New Spain needed a steady supply of inexpensive workers for their agricultural, industrial, and mining endeavors to succeed. The practice gave landowners the right to use Native American labor. In return, landowners were to protect the Native Americans, provide them with instruction in the Christian faith, and defend their rights to use the land ...