THE COLONIAL PERIOD
The Colony
The colony was between 1600-1800
The colony of Chile was controlled by Spain.
The colony sent things to Spain (wheat, corn, copper,
wood)
Spain was a rich country because it had many colonies
that sent nice things
The Colonial Society
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There were many different types of people that
lived in the colonies:
-people that came from Spain
-people who had parents that came from
Spain, but they were born in Chile
-natives
-blacks from Africa
-people that had one parent that was
Spanish and one that was a native
Homework
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is a “criollo?”
What is a “mestizo?”
What types of people were in the upper class (La
aristocracia)? Write 2 facts about the upper class.
What types of people were in the middle class (el sector
medio)? Write 2 facts about the middle class.
What type of people were in the lower class (nivel mas
bajo)? Write 2 facts about the lower class.
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www.icarito.cl
Search “Sociedad colonial”
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Part 1 Colony 2:30-3:40
9:00-9:45
Social Classes in the Colony
White skin
Spanish
Criollos
Mid color skin
Poor Spanish
Mestizos
Dark skin
Natives
Blacks
Class level
Upper class
Groups in this
class
Spanish
Criollos
Middle Class
Mestizos
Poor Spanish
Lower Class
Natives
Blacks
Description
Jobs
Upper Class
DESCRIPTION
-Spanish: they were born in Spain and
came to live in Chile
-Criollos: they were born in Chile, but both
of their parents were Spanish
-The Spanish had MORE power than criollos
-This was the smallest class
-They all had WHITE skin
Jobs: They owned land and had power in government
Middle Class
DESCRIPTION
 Mestizos: one parent was Spanish and the other
parent was a native.
 Their skin color was darker.
JOBS
 They had jobs such as vendors, artesania, writers,
etc.
Lower Class
DESCRIPTION
 Natives: both of their parents were natives and they had
always lived in Chile
 Blacks: slaves that were brought from Africa to work in the
hardest and most dangerous jobs
 They had no power or money
 They had DARK skin (or black skin)
JOBS
 They worked on the farms of the encomenderos
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If a person had white skin = upper class
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If a person had skin color between white and dark
= middle class
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If a person had dark skin = lower class
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Mestizo woman
Spanish man
Their child will be
______________
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Native woman
Spanish man
Their child will
be ___________
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Skin color was important in EVERY colony
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Spain owned Chile…but the king was VERY far
away.
How did the king of Spain have control over a
colony so far away?
The Government of the Colony
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The king of Spain sent a Viceroy (Virrey) to the
colony to be in charge. The Viceroy was a Spanish
man loyal to the king.
Spain made most of the laws for the colony to
follow
Other institutions were created in Spain and Chile to
control the colony
These men selected important
authorities in the colony.
These men controlled the
trade between Spain and the
colony.
These were territories of
Spain in America.
These were also territories of
Spain, but they were not
completely peaceful and
dominated by the Spanish. A
military leader was in charge
of them.
These men were the judges in
the colony. They decided
justice.
These were made of men that
lived in the colony. They
made laws for the colony.
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Part 1 Colonia 1:30-2:30
The Encomienda System
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The king of Spain gave land in Chile to the men who
helped in the conquest of Chile. This man was a
“Encomendero”
-The governor gave natives to each encomendero
-The natives worked for NO money
-The encomendero had to give food,
clothing, religion, and housing to natives
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Many natives died in the mines
Many got infections and illnesses/viruses
Because so many natives died, the Spanish brought
African slaves to work the land
What do you think of the encomienda
system?
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Was it necessary?
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Was it abuse?
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Was it slavery?
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Could we use the encomienda system today?
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What would YOU think if you were a native in the
encomienda system?
Commercial Monopoly
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Chile made leather, wheat, dry fruit, wine, copper,
wood, and furniture.
Chile was ONLY allowed to trade with Spain and
the other Spanish colonies
When a colony can ONLY trade with some places, it
is called a MONOPOLY
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UN GALEON ESPAÑOL
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UN G ALEON ESPAÑOL
EL PUERTO DE SEVILLA EN ESPAÑA, EN EL SIGLO XVI