struct churches, grist mills, and other structures needed by the Spanish settlers. Stern cites the case of "Juan Uscamato, a carpenter, [who] earned 150 pesos by agreeing to build a flour mill in six months. His expenses were low, and he probably did not have to work full time on the mill, since the contractor agreed to supply needed materials, including carved stone and iron tools, and six Indian laborers to work under Uscamato" (115).
Yet the natives and African slaves able to benefit from Spanish rule were a small group. Most suffered a substantial reduction in their quality of life, first because of the strict caste sys
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