05/12/2026
The Forgotten Slavery of Mexico.
Many individuals have pointed out that the principal reason for the Texas Revolution was slavery, claiming that Mexico did not have slaves and had never practiced slavery. However, it's essential to note that Mexico and Spain had the Encomienda System in place for 300 years.
The encomienda, meaning "to entrust," was a Spanish labor system that rewarded conquerors with the labor of conquered non-Christian peoples. In theory, the conquerors were provided with free laborers, and in return, the Spanish lords were expected to offer these laborers benefits, including military protection and education. The laborers, however, were not paid and could not leave the service, which gives it a rather feudal appearance.
The encomienda was first established in Spain following the Christian reconquest of Moorish territories, known to Christians as the Reconquista. It was applied on a much larger scale during the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the Spanish East Indies.
In 1501, Isabella I of Castile declared Native Americans to be "subjects and vassals" of the Crown, granting them the status of "Castilians" and conferring upon them the same legal rights as Spanish Castilians. This implied that enslaving them was illegal except under certain conditions. It also facilitated the establishment of encomiendas since the "encomienda bond" was a right reserved for complete subjects of the Crown. Thus, the Crown effectively owned these non-Christian individuals in the Americas by altering their social status and renaming them.
The program was flawed from the beginning due to the existence of the Spanish Caste System, which ranked Indigenous citizens several levels below "pure" Castilians in the social hierarchy.
After Christopher Columbus was removed from power in 1500, the Spanish Crown replaced him with Francisco de Bobadilla. Subsequently, Fray Nicolás de Ovando was appointed as the royal governor and established the formal Encomienda System in Mexico. Under this system, many Indigenous people were forced into hard labor and faced extreme punishment or death if they resisted.
In 1503, the Crown began formally granting encomiendas to conquistadors and officials as rewards for their service. The conquered Indigenous peoples were considered vassals of the Spanish monarch, making their labor legally transferable to the Spanish Crown.
As time passed, the Crown awarded encomienda grants to an increasing number of wealthy Spanish individuals. Known as "Peninsulares," these wealthy Spanish-born citizens traveled to New Spain (present-day Mexico) in search of greater wealth. All they needed to do was catch a ship to the New World, visit the encomendero in Mexico City, and request free labor.
The encomienda system evolved from its original Iberian form into a type of communal slavery. While the Spanish Crown granted individuals a specified number of Indigenous people from specific communities, it did not dictate which individuals were required to provide labor.
In the Americas, the Viceroy selected confident Indigenous leaders to participate in the encomienda system. These leaders were responsible for mobilizing the collection of tribute and labor for the peninsulares.
All the haciendas built in Mexico were constructed using this system. The "Amo," or lord of the manor, resided in an elaborate hacienda with his family, which the laborers built. His property was enclosed by a large wall, while his labor force, provided free of charge by the Crown, lived outside in crude jacales and received no payment.
Encomenderos were responsible for ensuring that the natives under the encomienda system were instructed in Catholicism and the Spanish language. They had the duty to protect these natives from warring tribes or pirates, suppress any rebellion against the Spaniards, and maintain necessary infrastructure. In addition to providing free labor, the natives also paid tributes in the form of metals, maize, wheat, pork, and other agricultural products.
However, Queen Isabella I of Castile prohibited the enslavement of the native population, declaring the Indigenous people as "free vassals of the crown."
The encomienda system has often been criticized for causing the geographical displacement of enslaved individuals and disrupting communities and family units. Nevertheless, in New Spain, the encomienda system governed these free vassals of the Crown through existing community hierarchies, allowing most natives to remain with their families in their settlements.
What is the outcome of this program in Mexico today?
Data shows that 95% of all Mexican Americans are of Mestizo descent, meaning they have both Spanish and Indigenous ancestry. That's a significant percentage. Why did such a large portion of New Spain's population intermarry across social classes?
After enduring the Spanish Caste System and the Encomienda System for hundreds of years, the indigenous people realized that marrying a Spaniard was their best way to escape generational oppression. The union of a Spaniard and an Indigenous person created a new social category called Mestizo.
In the caste system, Mestizos held the third position on the social hierarchy. They had access to formal education, carried Spanish surnames, and were eligible for better-paying jobs, even on the haciendas. They were no longer considered free labor.
Over time, Mestizos evolved into foremen and managers of the haciendas and enterprises owned by the Peninsulares. The Indigenous population quickly recognized that intermarriage was their pathway out of oppression.
In Mexico, the dominant Spanish bloodline introduced into the Indigenous population eventually became the new identity of these people, leading them to forget their history of enslavement. As a result, Mexico is often viewed as a nation that never had slaves.
Texas History - Never Forget!
