Answer:
These are the options for the question:
a. Encouraged.
b. Suppressed.
c. Heavily taxed.
d. Dismissed as impractical.
And the correct answer is:
a. Encouraged.
Explanation:
The Spanish encouraged the development of large agricultural estates or <em>haciendas</em> in order to provide much needed food to the sorrounding cities, and mining centers in the area.
For example, in New Spain (modern day Mexico), there were large <em>haciendas </em>the mining areas of Guanajuato, in central Mexico. There were also many near the capital of the colony: Mexico City.