Mitchell4

"In 1548, after many internal struggles among Spanish conquerors, resulting in Pizarro's assassination and Inca uprisings that were suppressed,"[1] Peru began to become stable. To get Spaniards to stay the government gave them encomienda which were lands and native slaves. In 1535 Lima became the capital of Peru instead of Cuzco. Lima was at a more central location than Cuzco was. Riches were brought from all over Peru to Lima. After the trip to Lima they were put on a boat and sent to Spain. Unfortunately the amount of native laborers was vastly shrinking due to the foreign diseases brought by the Spaniards. Within 20 years the native population went from 32 million to 5 million. Some of the main diseases were Small Pox, the Bubonic Plague, Influenza, and Measles. Because of this epidemic black slaves were being bought over from Africa.

In order to keep control of Peru, the Spanish government divided the country into sections. Each Section was ruled by a royal administrators. But in 1569, Francisco de Toledo became the fifth viceroy, and reformed the colonial system. This reform would not only increase revenue but improve the life of the few remaining natives. To do this he moved the natives from remote locations, where the royal administrators could easily manipulate them to cities and towns.Though this was a great idea it would come to an end in the 18th century when rebellion and political uprising began.

Falconer, Kieran. __Cultures of the World__. Peru. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1995. [1] __Colonial Mansion__ 04 May 2008 <[|http://www.wayfaring.info/search/capital+of+peru>.