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3. African slaves

African slaves were used in both the mining and cash crop industries in Spanish America. They provided a cheap and abundant source of labor, and they helped to make the Spanish colonies profitable. However, slavery was a brutal and dehumanizing system, and it had a devastating impact on the African population of Spanish America.

4. Indigenous forced labor

Indigenous people were also forced to work in the mining and cash crop industries. This was done through a system of encomienda, which gave Spanish colonists the right to use indigenous labor. The encomienda system was exploitative and cruel, and it led to the deaths of millions of indigenous people.

5. Taxes

The Spanish Crown imposed a variety of taxes on the people of Spanish America. These taxes included taxes on land, goods, and labor. The taxes were used to fund the Spanish Empire and to enrich the Spanish Crown. However, the taxes were often burdensome for the people of Spanish America, and they contributed to poverty and resentment.

6. Trading monopolies

The Spanish Crown granted trading monopolies to certain individuals and companies. These monopolies gave the monopoly holders exclusive rights to trade certain goods with Spain. The trading monopolies were a way for the Spanish Crown to control the flow of goods and to extract more revenue from the colonies. However, the monopolies were also harmful to the colonies, as they limited competition and drove up prices.

7. Pirates and smugglers

Pirates and smugglers were a constant threat to Spanish shipping in the Americas. They attacked Spanish ships and stole their cargo. Pirates and smugglers also disrupted the Spanish trade monopoly. The Spanish Crown spent a great deal of money trying to protect its shipping from pirates and smugglers, but it was never able to completely eliminate the threat.

The profits from mining, cash crops, African slaves, indigenous forced labor, taxes, and trading monopolies were essential to the Spanish Empire. However, these profits were also threatened by pirates and smugglers. The Spanish Crown was constantly struggling to protect its profits and to maintain its control over the Americas.