Evaluate the impact of the Law of Burgos (1512) and the New Laws of the Indies (1542) on the indigenous populations of Spanish America.

Candidates will make an appraisal of the strengths and limitations of the Law of Burgos (1512) and the New Laws of the Indies (1542) on the indigenous populations under Spanish rule. In evaluating the effects, they must offer detailed and specific knowledge of both the laws and their impact on the indigenous populations of Spanish Americas. The Law of Burgos was the first codified legislation on the treatment of the indigenous populations. It instituted the encomienda to replace repartimiento or mita, and legislated the duties of the encomenderos towards the indigenous populations. Though it regulated the working and living conditions of the indigenous populations, exploitation persisted. The New Laws of the Indies aimed to protect the indigenous populations by addressing the ineffective application of the Law of Burgos, banning the creation of new encomiendas, providing for the dissolution of existing encomiendas and establishing additional safeguards for indigenous peoples. These too were mostly ignored.