4. ECONOMY AND SOCIETY IN AMERICA THE ECONOMY
1.
America sent many of its resources to Spain between the 16 th and 18 th centuries. But Spanish territories inroduced a lot of products unknown inAmerica: Agriculture and livesock farming: - Agricultural workforce was Indian in the 16 th century. - The encomienda was a system through the Indians were required to live and work on the land of leading (destacado) Esuropeans. - Spanish farms turned into great estates called haciendas. - Europeans introduced many crops such as wheat, the vine, olives and sugar cane. - They brought animals like horses and pigs. 2. Mining: - The mines of Poos铆 and Zacaecas produced huge amounts of silver. - The mita was a system of forced labour (trabajo forzado) that supplied the Indian workforc for the mines. - All the silver mined in America belonged to the Spanish Crown, but in practise, the monarchy granted mining rights in return for receiving its own share. 3. Trade: - This was a monopoly of the Crown, regulated by the Casa de Contrataci贸n. Fleets of ships left Sevila to cross the Atlantic. - Manufactured goods and agricutural products were sent to America from Spain. - The ships returned to Spain with large amouns of silver and gold. - They brought back items that were completely new in Europe like corn, potatoes, tobacco and cacao (from which chocolate is made).