Early Latin America Chapter 19

Iberian Society and Tradition Spanish wanted to recreate themselves as nobility with Indian serfs Ecomiendas—large estates with imported slaves Professional bureaucracy of lawyers and judges Cities laid out on a grid, not like European cities Body of laws—legalism

Conquest and Morality Who were the Indians? Were they fully human? –Not fully human –Born to serve Was it proper to convert them to Christianity?

Conquest and Morality Was the conquest of their lands justified? –Used Aristotle’s argument, that it was –Came to FREE Indians from unjust lords and bring the light of salvation –Father Bartolome de las Casas argued that it was not; they had never brought harm on Christians

The Chronology of Conquest Era of Conquest— Phase of consolidation— Period of reform and reorganization— 1700s Mass human destruction, millions of people brought under European control, massive flows of immigration and commerce

Exploitation of the Indians Priestly class eliminated Traditional Indian nobility remained and became the middlemen for taxes, etc. Originally encomiendas were given to conquerors and you could use or tax the Indians –didn’t have a reciprocal relationship –Terms changed and they ended around 1620s

Exploitation of the Indians Colonial government expected labor and taxes (like Chinese) for state projects— called mita –Used to work in the mines –Paid a wage, but system was abused –Left land and preferred working in the city or for Spanish landowners to avoid mita  led to the growth of wage labor

The Silver Heart of the Empire Potosi—major silver mine in Peru Huancavelica—mountain of mercury in Peru used to extract silver Spanish law says all subsoil rights belong to the crown, but mines owned by individuals –Had to pay the crown 1/5 th Stimulated other commerce

Industry and Commerce Americas were self-sufficient except for luxury goods Spain created a convoy system to protect its shipments back and forth from pirates Most silver flowed out of Spain to pay for wars, debts, and purchase of manufactured goods to ship back to the Indies

Ruling an Empire: State and Church Judicial core staffed by university-trained lawyers from Spain—letrados Council of the Indies—advised the king and helped to make laws 2 Viceroys—(Mexico & Lima) nobles that were direct representatives of the king Audiencias—subdivided viceroyalties into 10 divisions of courts Magistrates—appointed to collect taxes and assign work

Ruling an Empire: State and Church Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits worked on conversions Recorded and analyzed Indian cultures in order to convert them Universities were established to train in law and theology (70)

Brazil: 1 st Plantation Colony Pedro Cabral discovered Brazil 150 sugar plantations by s about 7000 slaves imported a year; 1700s it reached 20,000 a year Intellectual life was an extension of Portugal b/c no universities Mixed marriages was common b/c there was a shortage of European women  mestizos and castas Creoles—European born in Americas