The inequalities of life under the caste system
People, in New
Spain, were organized, by law, into a caste system. This caste system was based
on race. Those at the top lived very well. Those at the bottom lived very harsh
lives.
Who's Who in
the Caste System: The Peninsulares or Gauchapine, (European born whites)
considered themselves superior to the Criollos or Creoles (Colonial born
whites) and were supported in this belief by royal decrees from Spain. Both
castes were, by law, politically and socially above the mixed bloods, the
Mestizo (Spanish Indian) and Mulattos (Spanish Negro), who were socially and
legally superior to the Indians (Natives), who were socially superior to the
Negroes.
Pleas fill in
the table:
|
________________ |
European born whites |
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|
Colonial born whites |
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|
Mixed blood (Spanish-Indian) |
|
|
Mixed blood (Spanish-Negro) |
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Natives |
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African |
In New Spain, when
a baby was baptized, it was assigned for life to a caste by the baptismal
priest. This made the baptismal priest very important since he decided and
declared at the baptismal to which caste the baby belonged. This led to
corruption in the priesthood, since a well placed bribe to a priest could
improve your child's standing for the rest of its life. If you angered or upset
the priest, he could decide that your child belonged in a lower caste.
The social
stratification created by the caste system was rigidly enforced. Since it was
based on race, it was impossible to move from ones birth caste into a higher
caste. A woman could improve her social standing by marrying up in caste, but
neither men nor women could move out of the caste into which they were
baptized. This caste system led to many problems and hatreds between the
castes.
Parents wanted
their children to marry into a higher caste if possible, or at least within
their own caste. As a result, many Criollo women (Colonial born whites) married
Gauchipine men (European born whites). This caused a shortage of wives for
Criollo men in their own caste, and forced them to marry women from lower
castes, which affected their children. The Criollo men (Colonial born whites)
were already angry, as they were prevented by law from holding the highest
ranking positions in the church and the government, positions their parents
held, simply because their parents had been born in Europe and they had been
born in New Spain. This created a great deal of jealously and discontent.
The Indians and
Blacks, for most of the colonial period, were subject to the
"Tribute", which was a tax placed on every Indian or Black. This
tribute was normally paid by an individual's village or employer. If the
tribute was not paid, that individual could be thrown in jail. The tribute was
one way for the empowered class (the top guys) to keep the lower castes under
control.
The affect of
the inequalities of the caste system was to cause great dissatisfaction in
every caste level, except perhaps the highest. The Criollos and the Mestizos
blamed the Spanish government for policies that limited their ability to
socially advance. The Indians and Blacks blamed the government of New Spain for
the harsh life they were forced to live.
Who determined what class a baby became immediately following birth?
What would you do if you were a wealthy Mestizo and about to have a baby?
If you were a Criollo woman, would you marry a Mestizo man?
Could a Mestizo become an Arch-Bishop (high ranking church official)? Why or why not?
What was a real bummer about being a black or an Indian? J
Why were the different groups angry? With whom were they unhappy? L