 Class dictated people’s place in society and jobs.  Peninsulares- those born in Spain.  Creoles- Spaniards born in America.  Mestizos- persons of mixed European and Indian ancestry.  Mulattos- persons of mixed European and African ancestry.  Enslaved Africans  Indians

 Colonists excited over news of Revolutions in America and France.  Haiti is the first Latin American colony to free itself from European rule.  Toussaint L’Overture leads Haitian rebellion.  Freedom only lasted a year as the French sent in troops and removed Toussaint from power.  They accused him of inciting a rebellion and imprisoned him in the French Alps where he later died.

 Controlled completely by social structure.  Where you fell on the social structure controlled how you could live your life.  In reality, only peninsulares and creoles had any rights.

 The Haitian Revolution was the only revolution led by slaves.  Interesting that it was the first successful one. › Why? › Motivation › Inability to maintain control

 Ethnic and racial groups mix more freely in Mexico.  Indians and Mestizos play leading role  Miguel Hidalgo, a priest, calls for rebellion against the Spanish.  Hidalgo leads 80,000 peasants in an uprising that is stopped by the Spanish.

 Morelos leads more attempts but is unsuccessful.  Creoles soon fear losing their power and join the lower classes in bring about Mexican independence in 1821