Final answer:
The encomienda system was a labor system established by the Spanish crown in its American colonies to provide native laborers to mine or work on plantations. Despite its stated intentions, it often resembled chattel slavery. It was eventually replaced by other colonial labor systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The encomienda system was a labor system established by the Spanish crown in its American colonies. It provided native laborers, known as encomiendados, to mine or work on plantations owned by the encomenderos. While it was ostensibly created to protect the natives and spread Christianity, it often resembled chattel slavery in practice. The encomienda system was eventually replaced by other colonial labor systems.