Final answer:
The encomienda system in Spanish America allowed Spanish colonists to control the labor of indigenous people in exchange for protection, conversion to Christianity, and education.
Step-by-step explanation:
The encomienda system in Spanish America was a labor system that allowed the Spanish monarch to grant indigenous people to Spanish colonists.
These colonists would then have control over the labor and taxes of the indigenous people. In return for their labor, the indigenous people were to be protected, converted to Christianity, and receive education.
However, in reality, the encomienda system often led to the exploitation and mistreatment of indigenous people.
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