By the mid-16th century, the conquistadors shifted from looting Native American empires and towns to exploiting native labor in _______ and in agriculture.

Question

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The conquistadors shifted their focus to exploiting native labor in mining (especially silver, gold, and mercury) and agriculture as a means to generate wealth, rather than solely relying on looting. Mining became a major economic activity in the colonies, with forced labor systems like the encomienda and mita being used to extract precious metals.

By the Mid-16th Century, the Conquistadors Shifted from Looting Native