The 17th is marked by the collapse of the economic system based on old structures almost medieval, and above all by the conflict with Portugal, which broke the unit of Spain. Whereas, the 18th century was characterized by the growth. A lot of lands around Cabeza la Vaca were used for farming and specially livestock, according as the religious orders lost strength, configuring the current economic model of the village. The confiscations from the 19th intensified this process, but the lands fell into fewer hands. The society of Cabeza la Vaca divided into farmers, owners of properties, and agricultural laborers. This one, coupled with the population growth, caused profound social inequalities. Yet the second half of this century was the relative prosperity, because the agricultural economy shifted gradually from a communal village to a more efficient private farm-based agriculture; nevertheless and on the other hand there were less need for manual labor on the farm, so many went to the cities.