Causes Effects SPANISH LATIN AMERICAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE Peninsulares

Causes & Effects

SPANISH LATIN AMERICAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE Peninsulares 0. 1% of population Born in Spain • Only group that could hold high office in Spanish colonial government • Spain was able to keep loyalty of these colonial leaders • Controlled wealth & most of the power in Spanish colonies Creoles • • 22. 8 % of population Of Spanish ancestry, but born in Latin America Could NOT hold high-level political office Could be officers in the colonial armies Educated in Spain Controlled some wealth & some power in Spanish colonies Mestizos Mulattos 7. 3% of population People of mixed European & Indian ancestry 7. 6% of population People of mixed European & African ancestry Enslaved Africans • Served an economic value in society (labor) 6. 4% of population African born people used as slaves in Latin America Native Americans 55. 8% of population Native people of Latin America prior to colonization This is a RIGID • Were of little economic value to the Spanish • Most severely oppressed group SOCIAL STRUCTURE (no moving between classes)

Latin American Revolutions

Brief description of the event: • Who? • What? • When? • Where?

Brief description of the event: • Who? – Lower class people (mostly creoles) VS. their colonial rulers (Spain, France, Portugal) • What? – a series of uprisings against oppressive European colonial rulers that resulted in gaining independence. • When? – starting in 1791, ending in 1820 s • Where? – Latin America (Mexico, the Caribbean, & South America)

CAUSES: • Enlightenment ideas (questioning society & gov’t) • American Revolution & French Revolution (source of inspiration) • Strong desire for independence (nationalism) – want to control their own land & economy • Mercantilism exploiting Latin America’s resources & economy

CAUSES: • Napoleonic Wars (his brother became King of Spain) • Inequalities in the rigid Latin American social structure • Creole resentment (they had little power compared to the peninsulares) • Treatment of lower class people

EFFECTS: • Many independent nations created & end of European colonization in Latin America • Struggles for power & civil wars break out • Military dictators end up taking control of the new independent nations – caudillos • Many failed democracies

EFFECTS: • Not much change in social status of the people • Peonage system develops & families are tied to the land • Unequal distribution of land • Increase in poverty • Latin America remained unindustrialized & became reliant on others to trade