ABSTRACT
From 1550 the major cultural changes that occurred in western and central Honduras emanated from the expansion of agriculture and mining, and the gradual integration of the Indians into the economic and social life of the province. The Spanish attempted to convert the Indians to Christianity, but the small number of clergy available and the dispersed character of the settlement pattern probably meant that the acceptance of Christian beliefs on anything more than a superficial level proceeded very slowly. The major changes in the Indian economy during the colonial period emanated from the demands that were made on Indian lands, labor, and production, over which non-Indians gained increasing control. Cofradias, or religious brotherhoods, became important institutions in the economic, social, and religious life of Indian villages during the colonial period. Changes in the social and political organization of Indian communities that had been initiated in the first half of the sixteenth century were consolidated subsequently.
