Race in Colonial Latin America

Question to Consider How was race constructed during the Colonial period?

The Peopling of Latin America Heterogeneous  Indian  European  African  Asian

Racial Mixing High Degree of Racial Mixing  Castas  25% by 18 th Century Blurring of Racial Groups  Physical Characteristics  “One Drop Rule” “Passing”

Basic Castas Mestizo (Indian & European) Mulatto (African & European) Zambo (Indian & African)

Mexico in ,000 Europeans  700,00 Criollos 6,000 Blacks  360,000 Mulatos 2,300,000 Indians  1,000,000 Acculturated 100,000 Asians

Restrictions Not allowed to live in Indian neighborhoods Denied posts Sumptuary Legislation  (cloths & jewelry)

Breakdown of Racial Barriers Less residential segregation Intermarriage Occupation/Education more important than race Certificate of Whiteness

Conclusions Racial Ambiguity High Degree of Mobility Money & Education  Example of rich Mestizos and Mulatos Loss of Control (Spanish Authorities)

18 th Century Casta Paintings NPR: “Inventing Race Through Art” hp?storyId= hp?storyId=

Questions to Consider What do the images reveal about attitudes toward racial mixing and the different castas? How would you compare the attitudes expressed in the primary documents versus those depicted in the casta paintings?

Spaniard and an Indian Produces a Mestizo

Spaniard and a Mestizo Produces Castiza

Spaniard and a Castiza Produces a Spaniard

Mestizo and an Indian Produces a Coyote

An African and a Spaniard Produces a Mulatto

A Mulatto and a Spaniard Produces a Marisco

A Spaniard and a Marisca Produces a Albino

A Spaniard and an Albina Produces a Black- Return-Backwards

A Black and an Indian Produces a Wolf

A Black and an Indian Produces a Zambaiga

A Zambaiga and an Indian Produces an Albarazado

An Indian and an Albaradazdo Produces a Chamizo

A Chamizo and an Indian Produces a Cambuja

An Albarrado and an Indian Produces a Cachimboreta

An Indian and a Cambuja Produces a Wolf-Return-Backwards

A Wolf-Return-Backwards and an Indian Produces a Hold-Yourself-in-Mid-Air

18 th Century Casta Paintings Reaffirmed the Importance of Racial Heritage Subcategories of Castas Details of Everyday Life People at Various Social Levels Material Culture

Conclusions Spaniards preside over society Spaniards possessors of culture Ambiguity/Inconsistency in racial markers More racial mixing, status declines Spanish blood redeemable, black not Underscore colony’s wealth

Post-Independence Lessening of Racial Barriers Indigenous Peoples Increasingly “Celebrated”  Europeanized  Romanticized Casta Designations Banned  Equality Before the Law