The natives of Hispaniola were required to deliver tribute every three months to the Spanish in the form of what?

• A. Silver
• B. Food
• C. Gold
• D. Labor

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is how colonial rulers extracted wealth from indigenous communities through a tribute system. In Hispaniola, early Spanish rule relied on demanding precious metals from the Taíno, with gold being the main target. Natives were compelled to mine or gather gold dust and deliver it to the Spanish at regular intervals, typically every few months, as a quarterly tribute. This reflects the extractive motive of the early colonial economy, where gold financed the empire’s expansion. While other forms of tribute like labor or crops did occur under different arrangements, the historical records describe a quarterly demand specifically in the form of gold.