Encomienda system: The encomienda system was a labor system implemented by the Spanish colonizers in the Americas. It granted conquerors control over indigenous communities, who were forced to provide labor or tribute in exchange for protection and Christianization.
Cultural assimilation: Cultural assimilation refers to the process of absorbing one culture into another dominant culture. In the context of Mesoamerican civilizations, it involved attempts by Spanish conquistadors to erase indigenous cultures through imposition of European customs, language, and religion.
Disease transmission: Disease transmission relates to the unintentional spread of diseases brought by Europeans that had devastating impacts on indigenous populations during colonization. Diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza caused significant population decline among Mesoamerican civilizations.