South American Colonial Societies

Conquistadors – Early 16th century Spanish adventurers Hernán Cortéz (Mexico) and Francisco Pizarro (South America) Beginning of Iberian colonization of Latin America

Colonial Government Mirrored home gov’t: extensive, Catholic, highly structured Viceroys Sent from Spain Represented the Crown Highest ranking officers in Iberian colonies

Because of mercantilism: Spain and Portugal became wealthy from the silver, gold, and sugar, NOT Latin America Local economic and political initiative was limited Heavy tax burden drained capital and slowed economic growth

Catholic Church Created syncretic Latin American Christianity (Catholicism + native beliefs) Focus changed from converting natives to schools and universities Church became richest institution in Latin America

Bartolomé de Las Casas (1474-1566) Bishop of Chiapas Created New Laws of 1542 which outlawed enslavement of Amerindians and limited forced labor

Colonial Economy Dominated by: Silver mines in Peru and Mexico Sugar plantations in Brazil and on Caribbean islands Based on coercive labor of Amerindians and African slaves

Coercive Labor Systems Encomienda: Grant of authority over a group of Amerindians for labor or taxes (this could be the definition but now finish it for your terms. Why is this term important, what are the consequences of this term, or what does this term tell us about the time period? Mita (Do you remember this term? Redefine it and explain how this could be a continuity and how it could be a change in Latin America) slavery

Silver mines Largest industry and generated the most wealth Richest silver deposit was Potosí (Bolivia)

Potosí

Environmental costs of silver production Deforestation (need for fuel and timber) Soil contamination and human sickness/death (industrial waste and mercury poisoning) Overgrazing and erosion (horses, mules, and oxen needed to drive machinery and transport material)

Sugar Industry Dominated Brazil’s economy Modeled after Portuguese sugar plantations using slave labor on West African islands Declining Amerindian population => African slaves

Colonial Society Based on Iberian society Strict social classes Catholic Patriarchal Amerindian and African cultures became the subcultures of Latin America

Amerindian elites married Europeans to keep social status Africans become largest ethnic group in Brazil

Social Structure Peninsulares: Born in Spain Creoles: European-descent but born in Americas Castas (Mixed) Mestizos: European and Amerindian Mulattos: European and African Free Amerindians/Africans Slaves

Peninsulares: The family of José de Iturrigaray, Spanish Viceroy of Mexico, ca. 1805

Creoles

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/colonial/classification.gif Mestizos

Mulattoes

African and Amerindian = Lobo

THE BIG PICTURE Latin American colonies Bring power and wealth to Spain and Portugal Were vital in the expanding global economy as suppliers of precious minerals and crops Iberian culture becomes dominant in Latin America Iberian social structure recreated in the New World, but with a multi-ethnic population

THE BIG PICTURE (cont’d) Colonial economy relied on coercive labor and mother country=> struggle to create strong, independent economies Latin America became key in the interchange of goods, people, and cultures between Americas, Africa, and Europe