Question

document 1 - encomienda system
spanish
latin american
social structure
peninsulares
-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
0.1% of population
born in spain
creoles

• 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
22.8% of population
of spanish ancestry,
but born in latin america
mestizos
7.3% of population
people of mixed european &
indian ancestry
mulattos
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

• were of little economic

value to the spanish

• most severely

oppressed group
55.0% of population
native people of latin america prior to colonization
this is a rigid social structure (no moving between classes)

1. only peninsulares had access to leadership in the colonies. why do you think that was? (ie.

why would spain only empower those who were born in spain to rule?)
handwritten answer: spain most likely empowered the peninsulares because
of trust and loyalty and most likely wanted a leadership
they could rely on instead of placing someone from a
different country with such high and powerful authority.

1. only peninsulares had access to leadership in the colonies. how do you think this made the

creoles feel? why?

Explanation:

Question 2 Solution:

Creoles likely felt resentful and frustrated. They had Spanish ancestry but were born in Latin America, so they saw themselves as having strong ties to Spain. Yet, they were excluded from high - level political leadership, which they believed they deserved due to their heritage. This exclusion from power, despite their cultural and ancestral connection to Spain, would lead to feelings of injustice and a sense of being undervalued compared to the Peninsulares.

Answer:

The Creoles likely felt resentful and frustrated. They had Spanish ancestry but were born in Latin America, yet were excluded from high - level political leadership that they believed they deserved due to their heritage, leading to feelings of injustice and being undervalued compared to Peninsulares.