Continuity/Change Over Time During the 1450’s to 1750’s the Americas were evolving at a constant rate. The slave trade and the use trade such as the triangular trade were very common during this time-period due to the rise in plantations, causing a diverse region in South America. In addition, forced labor was an important constant throughout the region and was controlled by Spanish and the Inca’s which also allowed for a mixture of culture and ethnicities. South America throughout the time-period from 1450-1750 relied on the idea of forced labor in a variety of ways.
Forced labor began in the early 1450’s with the Inca civilizations using the system of the mit’a, which was used by the Span. This system made over one-seventh of its adult males work for two to four months each year in unfathomable working conditions. Another important form of forced labor included the encomienda, which was enforced by Spanish colonies onto the Amerindians. This concept required Amerindians to work in groups on different tasks such as food production, textiles, other goods, and granted the right to extract labor and tribute goods to the Spanish.
Those who worked for the overlords were usually poorly paid, and the systems began to be corrupted or mistreated. Such systems therefore caused a decline in population; and to meet quotas, many men and family members were imposed at higher levels. Europeans were requesting more African slave labor during this time to help run the newly developed sugar plantations. More people began to travel and explore in South America for trading, and to obtain slaves offering a more diverse culture and spread of . Such accounts allowed for the mixing of ethnicities and societies in South America.
In the early 1450’s, most of those who presided in South America were Natives, while over times, people such as Creoles and Mestizos came into play. Due to the mixing of cultures becoming more common, allowing for mestizos or the idea of when marriages between Amerindian women and European created children. Mulattos also began to occupy South America in the more tropical areas, which were a combination of European and African descent . Every Mulatto, Creole, or Mestizo was usually placed in a group called a Casta in Spanish America.
Religion in this period began to be forced on South Americans during the time of the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) came in to this region, but failed in converting many people to the monotheistic religion of Christianity. Before the Jesuits, South Americans believed in a polytheistic faith, such of that of the Inca “ Sun God” and “ Thunder God”. Jesuits, originating in French Canada or Spain, worked hard to convert those to Christianity by mastering native languages, along with creating boarding schools for young boys and girls, along with setting up model agricultural communities for converted Americans.
They established churches throughout the region such as in in Huron and Algonquin territories. While the culture never really adapted to that of the Christian faith but instead continued to have faith in their deity’s. Due to the lack of acceptance, the church in the end redirected its missions and resources to different countries such as French settlements, founding schools, hospitals and churches. In the early years of South America, natives relied on farming to provide an adequate amount of food for their population.
While the use of plantations helped influx the trade industries due to the surplus in products produced by the plantations. Sugar was a major export in the South American region while main crops produced were sugar and tobacco. This allowed for a better trade system in South America with a high profits. In Conclusion, South America remained a similar region in social, economic and cultural views while also a diverse region between 1450-1750.