Question

In Spain's New World Empire,

O the number of natives on the island of Hispaniola increased between 1493 and 1570.
O the encomienda policies insured only a 2 percent profit per year to each Spanish investor.
O the king was determined to convert the indigenous peoples to Christianity.
O Spanish colonials were much less harsh toward American natives than the law allowed.
O the native Americans eagerly and consistently embraced Spanish colonial policies

Answer 1

Spain's colonial policies, specifically the encomienda system, resulted in significant exploitation and mistreatment of the native populations in the New World. Despite the Spanish Crown's efforts to regulate and reform these policies, the indigenous peoples faced severe consequences, including a decline in population due to disease and forced labor.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Spain's New World Empire, the encomienda system was a significant aspect of Spanish colonial policy. This system involved the distribution of Indigenous people to Spanish settlers for labor. Despite the intent to convert natives to Christianity and provide protection, the system led to exploitation and severe mistreatment of native populations. Contrary to the idealistic vision of a harmonious and stratified colonial society, the encomienda system enabled widespread abuse.In Hispaniola and other parts of the empire, the indigenous population did not embrace the Spanish colonial policies but suffered immensely.
The spread of European diseases, along with the exploitation under colonial systems, caused a significant decline in native populations. Efforts like those of Bartolome de las Casas, who advocated for the fair treatment of natives, led to reforms such as the New Laws of 1542, which sought to end the encomienda system and mitigate some of its harshness.The Spanish colonization of the Americas was marked by devastating impacts on the native populations and the imposition of Spanish culture and religion. Despite the Spanish Crown's regulations, the colonial reality was harsher than the laws permitted. Although the encomienda system was eventually replaced, its effects on the native peoples were long-lasting and tragic.