Social structure of Colonial Latin America

Political Transformations: Empires and Encounters 1450-1750 Chapter 13 Colonial Societies in the Americas Spanish, Portuguese, British, French Wholly new societies Mercantilism: Colonies provided markets for

goods and bullion. Comparisons? Catholic Spain and Protestant England Type of economy Urbanized Mesoamerican and Andean natives versus rural villages of North America Role of women Spanish Colonies Long before British and French

Economic foundation: commercial agriculture, silver and gold mining Encomienda: The Spanish crown granted to particular Spanish settlers a number of local native people from whom they could require labor, gold, or agricultural produce and to whom they owed protection and instruction in the Christian faith. Repartimiento/Mita: Same but with more control from the Spain, seen more as a tax/tribute, a certain % of natives were required to work for the estate owners for a certain amount of days

Hacienda: The owners of the large estates directly employed native workers. Social Structure of Colonial Latin Chapter 13 America Colonial Latin American Caste System When Spanish and Portuguese colonies were

established in central and south America a caste system formed. (castas) Ones social class was directly tied to how pure his blood was and his place of birth. The kings wanted to keep the colonies under their control and only have loyal people in office. Peninsulares Creoles

Mestizos Mulattoes Amerindians Zambos Africans Peninsulares pure blood ??? From the Iberian Peninsula Highest social class and the only class

which could hold high office (church, military, administrative) Spain wanted to keep loyalty of colonial leaders. Creoles

Born in Americas Land-owning Elite Could not hold highest positions In 1800s will rebel against peninsulares in wars of independence Mestizos

Of Spanish and Amerindian descent Spanish and Portuguese men married native women and had Mulattoes = Spanish and African descent

Zambos = Amerindian and African descent Africans Many Africans were brought over from Africa to the colonies as slaves. Some of these Africans would escape from a plantation and find their way to native villages. Natives were usually sympathetic to

the African people. Factions by Fractions There were various levels in society, in between the main groups, based on blood quantum. Example: Castizos = European, no more than

Amerindian Derogatory Slurs Comparisons Spanish and Portuguese colonies differed in that Africans were not a huge factor in Spanish colonial society but were in Portuguese society. North American colonization was different in

that women were colonists. There was not a shortage of women like in Meso and South America. Less racial mixing. In North America three main groups: white, red and black; in Spanish and Portuguese colonies many mixed-race groups Settler Colonies in North America Many British settlers wanted to escape Old World society and start over, not recreate what they had.

They could escape class restrictions of England. More British settlers came to New World than Spanish or Portuguese. Protestants not as interested in spreading Christianity as Catholics, but provided more literacy. More local self-government, joint-stock companies and royal charters. British crown relatively unconcerned with colonies. Russian Empire

From Moscow to worlds largest state (15001800) Brought the steppes and Siberia under its control Submission to Tsar, yasak (tribute), and Christianity Settlers put pressure on pastoralists/nomads Russified Russian Empire Became multi-ethnic through conquest (Slavs,

pastoralists, Siberians) Wealth in agriculture, furs, mineral deposits Peter the Great: 1689-1725, westernization and modernization Catherine the Great: 1762-1796, Enlightened despot Chinese Empire Stopped possible maritime expansion but grew empire to the north and west

Qing dynasty or Manchu (1644-1912), they were from Manchuria and had conquered the Chinese Brought Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet under Chinese control or unified Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689) with Russia to set boundary Court of Colonial Affairs, local rulers Change in that area: not cosmopolitan, nomadic pastoralists removed from world

stage Mughal Empire in India Rare period of political unity, 1526-1707 Divided between Muslims and Hindus Akbar: had tolerance toward Hindu majority, married Hindu princess, put Hindus in political-military elite, built temples, lessened restrictions on women, removed jizya/tax, House of Worship, Indian-PersianTurkic culture

Opposition from Shayk Ahmad Sirhindi: it is the womens fault Aurangzeb: reversal of Akbars policy Opposition movements weakened India Ottoman Empire The Sword of Islam: conquered and defending Islam Women had many rights, more than Europeans

Balkans: Christian majority, mostly tolerance, devshirme Europeans worried about a Muslim takeover, Suleiman