Question

The transition from slave-raiding to the encomienda system is one example of how Europeans:

A) created new and advanced systems that elevated the economic status of native peoples in the Americas.
B) denounced and refused to participate in the subjugation of native peoples in the Americas.
C) adapted their principles to new and unfamiliar surroundings and situations.
D) established and maintained separate and isolated colonies in the Americas.

Answer 1

The transition from slave-raiding to the encomienda system signifies how Europeans adapted their principles to new surroundings by instituting a system of forced labor for Native Americans, which was later supplanted by the labor of enslaved Africans.

Step-by-step explanation:

The transition from slave-raiding to the encomienda system reflects how Europeans adapted their principles to new and unfamiliar surroundings and situations (Option C). The encomienda system, established by the Spanish, was ostensibly intended to reward conquerors with the labor of native peoples, while also tasking the conquerors with defending the colony and teaching Christianity. In practice, it led to the exploitation and harsh treatment of native populations. It was a form of forced labor where native peoples were compelled to mine or work on plantations under dire conditions, often preferring death to the intensity of their labor.

With the indigenous population declining due to disease and overwork, Europeans began to see the profitability of the African slave trade. Consequently, race became a pivotal factor in this new system of slavery, distinguished from older forms by its scale and brutality. Furthermore, the Spanish and other Europeans viewed Africans as non-Christians, which they used to justify enslavement. The encomienda system was later replaced by the repartimiento system, which continued the practice of forced labor among native populations.