Early Spanish conquistadors in Central and South America were mainly concerned in the large deposits of gold and silver. The Spanish used Native Americas as forced laborers (slaves) on large sugar cane plantations in the colonies that they established in the Americas, for the Spanish, in Mexico and Peru; and for the Portuguese, in Brazil. The labor system they used was called encomienda. Spanish conquistadors and Portuguese colonists with large land grants believed that they also owned the native people who lived there. They forced native people to work on the plantations and also extracted tribute from them. As with the forced laborers in the Spanish mines, so many native people died as a result of grueling working conditions and disease that the encomienda system lasted only during the 16th century.
Race and Ethnicity in the Americas
In colonized areas of the Americas, racial and ethnic classifications changed radically as Europeans intermarried with natives. In the Spanish colonies in the Americas, for example, Europeans were considered to be of the highest status in the social structure, while slaves from Africa and Native Americans had the lowest status. In between, a whole new class of people arose who were of mixed ancestry, and these people primarily became farmers and shopkeepers. The designation for those mixed European and Native ancestry was mestizo, and the designation for those of mixed European and African ancestry was mulatto. Although those of European heritage who were born in the Americas, called creoles, had a high social status, Europeans who were originally from the continent, called peninsulares, were the elite class.
Slave Labor in the Americas
The development of colonies in the Americas by Europeans fueled the demand for workers after Native Americans died in large numbers from European diseases and mistreatment. Once Europeans had established colonies on plantations, there was an economic need to import large numbers of workers. By the end of the 17th century, slaves made up fully one-half of Brazil's population, with most of those slaves having been brought from Africa.
After the demise of the encomienda system in Brazil and Spanish colonies, most African slaves were taken to work on sugar plantations in the Americas. European demand for sugar for sugar, especially by the English, continued to grow, and by about 1650, the Spanish had established additional plantations in present-day Jamaica, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The British also established sugar cane plantations in Barbados, the Dutch in Guyana, and the French in present-day Haiti. Each plantation typically had hundreds of acres of sugar cane fields, as well as a mill to process the raw sugar cane into sugar. For all of this grueling work on plantations in the Caribbean, thousands of slaves were transported there.
The French also established sugar plantations in present-day Louisiana in the 18th century. The growing demand for tobacco in England led to the development of large tobacco plantations in Virginia. Plantations with fields of tobacco and other crops, particularly cotton, spread throughout the southern American colonies in North America, which required an ever-increasing number of slaves to work in the fields, as well as to service in the households of wealthy plantation owners.
After the demise of the encomienda system in Brazil and Spanish colonies, most African slaves were taken to work on sugar plantations in the Americas. European demand for sugar for sugar, especially by the English, continued to grow, and by about 1650, the Spanish had established additional plantations in present-day Jamaica, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The British also established sugar cane plantations in Barbados, the Dutch in Guyana, and the French in present-day Haiti. Each plantation typically had hundreds of acres of sugar cane fields, as well as a mill to process the raw sugar cane into sugar. For all of this grueling work on plantations in the Caribbean, thousands of slaves were transported there.
The French also established sugar plantations in present-day Louisiana in the 18th century. The growing demand for tobacco in England led to the development of large tobacco plantations in Virginia. Plantations with fields of tobacco and other crops, particularly cotton, spread throughout the southern American colonies in North America, which required an ever-increasing number of slaves to work in the fields, as well as to service in the households of wealthy plantation owners.