a. Variability of Indian Societies
i. Kinship-oriented modes of production
ii. Tributary modes of production
in the Aztec Empire
a. Population Loss: "The Great Dying" -- Central Mexico: 25 million to 150,000!
b. Dispersal / Disruption of Kin-based Communities
c. Ecological / Economic Upsets
d. Religious Transformations
a. Political Institutions
i. Council of the Indies / King -- Laws of the Indies (1542)
1. Viceroyalties: Mexico (New Spain) and Perú
2. Audiencias: 10 units
3. Cabildos (cities)
ii. Assimilation of Indian nobility -- "indirect rule" of Indian communities
b. Economic Institutions
i. Encomiendas (land grants) -- forced labor and taxes/tribute
ii. Mining – silver/gold -- the royal fifth: Zacatecas (1546)
iii. House of Trade (Seville)
1. control of all imports/exports
2. growing foreign role in trade
3. mercantilism: system of colonial exploitation
iv. Slavery – Africans -- especially post-1542
v. Haciendas / Plantations -- agriculture, stock raising, sugar, cocoa,
etc.
c. Social Institutions
i. "Caste" system and feudal order -- Spaniards, criollos,
mestizos, indios,
slaves
ii. Demise of calpulli descent groups /
communities
iii. Rise of Cities -- merchant classes
d. Cultural Institutions: Religion
i. Goal: to Christianize Indians (Papal Bull of 1537)
ii. Missionaries and Humanists / Scholars
iii. Church as Repressive Force
iv. Church as "Syncretic" Force