Answer: B. They were very poor, forced to work the land or in the mines, and died from beatings, hunger, and disease.
The encomienda was a system of labor that Spain implemented in its American colonies, although it had first been used during the Christian conquest of Muslim Spain. Similar to feudalism, conquered people were considered vassals of the Spanish king. A particular individual was awarded an "<em>encomienda</em>," which represented a monopoly on the labour of the conquered subjects. This was held in perpetuity by the holder and his descendants.
Although similar to slavery, the holder did not have a say in the particular individuals of the community that had to provide their labour. Moreover, the encomienda ruled the vassals through existing indigenous hierarchies, which allowed the natives to remain in their own communities and families.
