The Colonial economic system (1502 to 1821) the conquest of America and modern capitalism: the conquest of America was marked from the beginning by the nascent European capitalism. Prevailing, mercantilist doctrine made then, he advocated the accumulation of precious metals for national enrichment, that captains of conquest and the own Castellana Crown felt inclined to the search for gold and silver in the newly discovered lands. Enterprisewide conquest was therefore a constant desire to find the golden metal, not implying that the monarch and conqueror forget other values involved in his conscience. These were the Evangelistic zeal, and the glory of the heroic feats. The Spanish which comes to the new world, noble or commoner, hidalgo or villain, rich or poor, brings with it its own vision of the world, which in this case is one where the two times appear mixed: the middle ages and the Renaissance, faith and capitalism.

Therefore, it is the cross and the sword come together with gold and merchandise. In each of the expeditions of conquest, since Cristobal Colon occur, the above-mentioned symbols are present. The own feat of the Admiral of the ocean Mar fits within this framework, if one thinks of the succulent benefits that it and the Crown hoped to achieve. Activity economic La Encomienda this consisted of delivering a group of Indians to a Spanish captain, which perceived to how minion aborigines of the Castilian monarch had to pay this tax. The encomienda was a mercy which the King did a Spanish so it charged, on behalf of indigenous taxes and as the Indian was poor and had no possibility to pay in money such tribute, had to pay at work. Thus, the encomienda that had been born as a tribute, then became an institution of personal service. Thus, the Spanish did not pay salary for work performed and only should be given to the Indian that legislation accounted.