Name: ____________________________
Due Date: Wednesday 10/24/10
Social Studies Seven/PD: _____
HW – Spain’s New World Class System
Spain’s New World Class System
Background:
After the conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empires, Spanish control and influence spread rapidly
throughout Mexico, Central America, and South America. By the late 1500’s, Spain was in control of an
empire that included lands from California to Florida in what is today the United States, the islands of the
Caribbean Sea, Mexico, Central America, and all of South America with the exception of Brazil. The
Kings of Spain, in an effort to gain better control over these new colonies, removed the Conquistadores
(Hernando Cortes and Francisco Pizarro) from power and replaced them with appointed officials from
Spain (Viceroys). Spain’s king did not trust the Conquistadores and feared their power.
Direct control from Spain also brought a very rigid class system to the Americas that remained in
effect until Spain lost control over its New World Colonies in the early 1800’s. Even after the passing of
Spanish control, this class system remained largely intact well into the 1900’s. Typically, wealthy and
powerful people in Latin America are still more closely descended from Spanish settlers than Native
Americans to this day. Native Americans continue to fight for rights and equal treatment under the law in
many areas of Latin America (the lands south of the United States) are are finally beginning to make
progress in this fight in recent years.
Passage:
In a better effort to control his colonies, the King of Spain divided his New World territories in two:
New Spain (Mexico, Florida, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America) and Peru (All Spanish lands in
South America). He appointed men to rule the territories in his name. They were known as Viceroys.
Viceroys were selected for their loyalty to the King and were often relatives of the King or powerful nobles. In either
case, they were from Spain itself.
The highest class of people in Spain’s New World Colonies was directly from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain
and Portugal). They were called Peninsulares and they held all of the high government and church positions in the
Colonies and owned very large areas of land. Their job was to protect Spanish power and wealth in the New World.
Spanish Colonists born in the Americas could not become Peninsulares and this created resentment against the
Peninsulares at times.
Creoles were the children of parents from Spain. They were typically well educated, but they were not
allowed to hold the high government and church positions that Peninsulares controlled. Creoles resented this policy
bitterly. Creoles usually owned very large farms and ranches, ran businesses, or became professionals such as
lawyers, doctors, and university professors.
Mestizos were colonists who had both Spanish and Native American ancestors. They often worked as
managers on the large farms and ranches of Creoles or were skilled craftsmen in cities (shoe makers, carpenters,
tailors, bakers) and small business owners. Over time, the Mestizo class became very large in size.
Once the original inhabitants and “owners” of the Americas, Natives were at the bottom of the Spanish class
system in the New World. Natives were forced to work as cheap labor (if not as slaves) and were very poor.
Under the Spanish class system, Natives had few rights, no access to education, and virtually no chance to rise in
class.
Spain’s New World Class System
Name: _______________________________
1.
Social Studies Seven/PD: _____
Why did the King of Spain remove the Conquistadors from power in the New World Colonies?
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2.
What do Native Americans continue to fight for in some areas of Latin America?
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3.
What did the King of Spain look for when he selected Viceroys to rule in his name?
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4.
Explain what Creoles were and were not allowed to do in the Spanish Colonies.
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5.
What were Natives forced to do under the Spanish Class System and which rights did they
lack?
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B. ___________________________________________________________________________________
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