History The Spanish Conquistadors Questions
The Spanish conquistadors interacted with the native cultures and civilizations they encountered through a combination of violence, exploitation, and assimilation. They often used military force to conquer and subjugate the indigenous peoples, seizing their lands and resources. They imposed their own religious beliefs and customs on the natives, often forcibly converting them to Christianity. The conquistadors also exploited the labor of the indigenous populations, forcing them into slavery or encomienda systems. However, there were instances of cultural exchange and intermarriage between the Spanish and the natives, leading to the emergence of a mixed-race population known as mestizos.