“The Jesuits had a positive impact on the indigenous populations of Spanish and Portuguese America.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the assertion that the Jesuits had a positive impact on the indigenous populations in both Spanish and Portuguese America. In supporting the statement, candidates may argue that Jesuit reductions protected indigenous populations from the abuses of Spanish and Portuguese authorities and slave traders. Jesuits taught the indigenous populations agricultural techniques and crafts, and granted them working rights, such as a six-hour working day. The Jesuits respected some cultural values of the indigenous populations provided these did not clash with Christianity. To challenge the statement, candidates may argue that although some level of syncretism existed, Catholic practices such as baptism were enforced. They may refer to the corporal punishments inflicted on the native populations. They may also state that, although some communities could speak their native languages, the enforcement of the Spanish and Portuguese languages contributed to the decline of native tongues.