Final answer:
The Spanish encomienda was a system of forced labor that exploited Native workers and often devolved into slavery. It was replaced by the repartimiento labor system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spanish encomienda was a system of forced labor.
Under this system, authorities assigned Native workers to mine and plantation owners. The recipients of the encomienda were supposed to defend the colony and teach the workers the tenets of Christianity. However, in reality, the encomienda system exploited Native workers and often devolved into slavery.
Ultimately, the encomienda system was replaced by another colonial labor system called the repartimiento, which required Native towns to supply labor for Spanish overlords.