Which word describes the Spanish system of giving control of Indians to a settler for forced labor?

A. hacienda
B. encomienda
C. hacendados
D. campesinos

I'll be glad to check your answer.

The answer was B.

Right.

B. encomienda

The word that describes the Spanish system of giving control of Indians to a settler for forced labor is B. encomienda. To arrive at this answer, we can break down and analyze the options given.

A. Hacienda: This refers to a large estate or plantation, typically found in Latin American countries, which may employ workers for agricultural purposes. While there may have been some forced labor on haciendas, it does not specifically capture the system described in the question.

B. Encomienda: This is the correct answer. The encomienda system was established by the Spanish during the colonization of the Americas. It allowed Spanish settlers, known as encomenderos, to control and extract labor from a specific group of Indigenous people. This system was exploitative and often resulted in forced labor and harsh treatment.

C. Hacendados: The term hacendados is used to refer to large landowners or estate owners in Spanish-speaking countries. It does not directly encompass the system of control and forced labor of Indigenous people described in the question.

D. Campesinos: This term refers to rural workers or peasants, often involved in agricultural labor. While campesinos may have been affected by the encomienda system, it does not accurately describe the system itself.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. encomienda.