Question

christian settlers and inhabitants of the said island..., and this they are to do as the free persons they are, and not as slaves; and you are to see to it that the said indians are well treated... -source: queen isabella to nicolas de ovando, governor of hispaniola, 1503 which of the following was the most immediate result of the edict excerpted? choose 1 answer: a the spanish caste system b the transatlantic slave trade c the encomienda system d the reconquista

Explanation:

1. Analyze Option A: The Spanish caste system was about racial and social hierarchy based on ancestry (e.g., peninsulares, criollos, mestizos), not directly related to the treatment of Indians as free persons vs. slaves in this edict.
2. Analyze Option B: The transatlantic slave trade involved African slaves, while this edict is about Native Americans (Indians) in Hispaniola, so not the immediate result.
3. Analyze Option C: The encomienda system was a Spanish colonial system where settlers were granted the labor of Native Americans (with the supposed obligation to treat them fairly, as hinted in the edict about not treating them as slaves). This edict's focus on treating Indians well aligns with the encomienda system's establishment (or regulation) to manage Native labor.
4. Analyze Option D: The Reconquista was the Christian reconquest of Spain from Muslims, ending in 1492, before this 1503 edict, so not related.

Answer:

C. the encomienda system