ABSTRACT
The conquest and colonization of Honduras was disastrous for its Indian population. Demographically Central America is a microcosm of colonial Spanish America. There are areas where the Indian population declined dramatically at an early date, with any remaining Indians being gradually absorbed into an expanding ladino population. Sixteenth-century observers blamed the rapid decline of the Indian population on the overwork and ill treatment of the Indians by conquistadors and colonists. There is no doubt that the Black Legend was a reality in the Caribbean, where the Indians became virtually extinct within a generation. The level of decline of Indian populations in different regions appears to have been influenced by two factors. First, it was influenced by the nature of Indian societies at the time of Spanish conquest and, related to this, the size of the aboriginal population. The second factor was the existence and desirability of resources to be found in the area.
