Key topic 3: The Spanish Empire c1528–c1555 - 2 Expansion of empire: The…

The idea

To manage its expanding empire, Spain established viceroys as royal representatives with supreme executive, military, and judicial authority in the Americas. The economy relied on the encomienda system, which granted Spanish settlers the right to demand tribute and forced labour from indigenous people in exchange for protection and Christianisation. This system led to severe abuse and exploitation. Bartolomé de las Casas, a Dominican friar, became a prominent advocate for indigenous rights, exposing these atrocities in his writings. His campaigning directly influenced the Crown to pass the New Laws in 1542. These laws were highly significant as they aimed to abolish the encomienda system and protect indigenous people from enslavement, though they faced fierce resistance from settlers and were difficult to enforce.

What earns the marks

• Define the role of viceroys as the Spanish monarch's direct representatives in the New World.
• Explain the mechanics of the encomienda system, including the obligations of both settlers and indigenous people.
• Describe the abuses inherent in the encomienda system and its impact on indigenous populations.
• Outline the role of Bartolomé de las Casas in campaigning against the mistreatment of indigenous peoples.
• Evaluate the significance of the New Laws (1542) in attempting to reform the encomienda system and protect indigenous rights.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing viceroys with conquistadors.

  Put it right: Viceroys were royal administrators sent to govern established territories, whereas conquistadors were the initial military conquerors.

• Stating the New Laws completely ended indigenous exploitation.

  Put it right: The New Laws faced massive rebellion in Peru and were often ignored or watered down, meaning exploitation continued.

• Believing the encomienda system granted land ownership.

  Put it right: It granted rights to indigenous labour and tribute, not the land itself.

Exam tips

• Contrast the theoretical purpose of the encomienda system (protection and conversion) with its practical reality (forced labour and abuse).
• Use Las Casas as an example of internal Spanish opposition to the methods of empire building.
• When discussing the New Laws, highlight the tension between the Spanish Crown's desire for control and the settlers' demand for cheap labour.