Native American workforces

Definition

Native American workforces refers to the indigenous people of the Americas who were forced into labor by Spanish colonizers during the period of European colonization in the New World. They were exploited for their labor and often subjected to harsh working conditions.

Related terms

Encomienda system: This term refers to a Spanish colonial policy where colonists were granted land and native workers as part of their reward for settling in the New World.

Repartimiento system: This term describes another form of coerced labor imposed on indigenous peoples, where they were required to provide a certain amount of labor each year.

Mita system: This term denotes a mandatory rotational labor draft used by the Spanish Empire in Peru, where indigenous communities had to provide workers for various projects.