What system allowed Spanish colonists to obtain land and exploit native slave labor?

The Encomienda system was established in the Spanish colonies during the early period of colonization, primarily in the Americas. This system granted Spanish colonists rights over indigenous people, which allowed them to extract labor and tribute from the native populations.

Under this system, the Spanish crown granted land to colonists along with the people who lived on that land. The colonists were responsible for the protection and religious education of the indigenous people, but in practice, it often resulted in severe exploitation and forced labor. This exploitation included agriculture and other labor-intensive activities that benefitted the colonists economically while leading to the decline of native populations due to overwork and diseases brought by Europeans.

The other systems mentioned in the options also relate to labor and land usage but serve different functions. The Hacienda system involved large estates that often engaged in agriculture but did not specifically involve the same kind of labor arrangement as the Encomienda. The Repartimiento system was a later attempt to reform labor practices by requiring natives to work for a limited time rather than being enslaved. The Plantation system, while focused on large agricultural enterprises, is more associated with economic models in the Caribbean and the southern colonies related to cash crops and African slavery. In contrast, the Encomienda system