Topic 5.3.4: Governing the Colonies

What was the objective of the Spanish governing their colonies?

• To understand native cultures

• To benefit from their colonies

• To leave the land untouched

• To only trade with natives

What was the most valuable resource shipped from Spanish America to Spain?

• Silver and gold

• Cotton and wool

• Spices and herbs

• Wood and stone

What was the role of the Catholic Church in the Spanish colonies?

• Helped govern natives by converting them to Christianity.

• To build new cities and govern economic activities.

• Helped establish relations with natives to trade their resources with other countries.

• To create new laws based on the bible that were easy for the natives to understand and follow.

What did Spain control the most in the Empire?

• Economic activities

• Sugar plantations

• Gold mines

• Local markets

How did Spain’s American economy function?

• Through local trade

• By exporting to other European countries

• By exporting raw materials only to Spain

• By importing goods from Asia

What impact did the introduction of sugarcane have on the Spanish economy?

• It decreased profits

• It became a profitable resource

• It was not significant

• It led to a decline in trade

What is a plantation?

• A small garden

• A large estate for growing crops

• A type of factory

• A fishing area

What did the Spanish extract from the Potosi region?

• Gold

• Silver

• Copper

• Iron

Who condemned the evils of the encomienda system?

• Bartolomé de Las Casas

• Christopher Columbus

• Hernán Cortés

• Francisco Pizarro

What were Africans forced to work as in the Americas?

• Field hands, miners, or servants

• Teachers, doctors, or artists

• Sailors, traders, or musicians

• Writers, actors, or scientists