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Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Class in Colonial Latin America
Go to "Castas" Read the summary and examine the images. What do these comments and images reflect about Spanish attitudes and life in colonial Latin America? Post you response as a comment to this post.
There is a lot of mixing of the different races. The European, native, and African cultures blended. The status of someone was determined mostly by their racial mix. It was a racist society. In the pictures, the women usually is the one with darker skin. The pictures also show that the darker someone's skin was, the less fancily dressed they are. Often the lighter skinned people are posed in front of a big house, while others, for example the hold-yourself-in-midair, are posed in front of a small house with packs on their backs. The colors are also symbolic; people dressed in brown are portrayed as dirtier, while bright blues of the albinos represent wealth.
The images and summary show that the Spanish saw themselves as the most superior, however, when the Spaniard married a black person or an Indian, their status in society went down. As the children became farther removed from Spaniards, their position went down. In addition, those who had no Spanish blood in them were at a much lower position in society, such as the Hold-Yourself-in-Mid-airs.
The Spanish had a very racist attitude in colonial Latin America because the "casta" system was based on a mixture of races. The castas were assigned by the race of one's parents. In the images I noticed that a social class with a spaniard had a "higher class". Their life did not involve a lot of agriculture or peasant work like the lower class. Social classes with Indians or other "lower races" were portrayed doing hard labor and agriculture in more rural areas.
These images show that Spaniards held the highest positions in the castas, and it dwindled down to the blacks who were seen as lesser. This is shown as the castas go down, and the living conditions worsen. The Indians are the most diversified group out of all of them, and can be seen at the top of the castas (Mestizo) down to the bottom (Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air).
In colonial Latin America, contrary to the three classes in the United States, there were many classes. The classes, however, were more divided by ethnic background than wealth. Due to the large range of ethnicities there was often interracial reproduction that resulted in a child of mixed race. This was how the classes were divided. For example, a Spaniard and an Indian produce a Mestizo. The race that was produced resulted in placement in a social class where the people were divided based on their contribution to society. So, the Mestizos were living high class lives as it is shown in the picture by their nice clothing, house, and what appears to be a servant. This lifestyle is very different to the lifestyle of a Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air person, which is a mix of Wolf-Returns-Backwards and Indian. The Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air person is clearly living a lower life than the Mesitzo as it is shown in the picture. The Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air person is displayed as having no shoes and low quality clothing. Overall, the class division of colonial Latin America is based on ethnicity.
The images and summaries presented here show that the spanish had a very racist attitude in colonial latin america. They organized society with them being at the top of the pyramid, and indians/negroes at the bottom. The higher a person was on the pyramid, then the easier a persons life would be. The lower a person was on the pyramid, then the harder their life was.
These images and comments show that Spaniards held the highest positions in the castas, and it dwindled down to the blacks who were seen as lesser. This is shown as the castas go down, and the living conditions worsen. The Indians are the most diversified group out of all of them, and can be seen at the top of the castas (Mestizo) down to the bottom (Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air). Also, this shows that the Spanish attitudes were based on race, and that a person’s life would be determined by their parents.
As you move down this system, and get farther and farther away from being a pure spaniard, it seems that the people get poorer and seem to live in a lower society than the picture before. In the pictures you can see that as you move down the list, the clothes aren't as sophisticated and their homes aren't as fancy. It also seems that they have harder jobs and less possessions. It also looks as if the lower you are on the list, the more integrated into a rural society you are.
In colonial Latin America, one's place in the social hierarchy is determined by the race of one's parents. The Spanish attitudes of these classes can be seen in the names given to each class. For example, a black and a spaniard have children that are part of the "Mulatto." It is named after the mule, which is incapable of reproducing. This shows that Spaniards think that Africans and the Spanish should not reproduce.
These images reflect that as generations go on and people reproduce with different mixes of backgrounds (Indian, black, and the mixes of these backgrounds) they gradually decrease in social standards/class. Also, as it goes down, it seems that the class draw closer to a more rural society. These Spaniards attitudes were based off the persons race.
The castas system is a way to define person's social class based on their race and that of their mixed or not mixed ancestors. "Pure" races have higher castas, while the mixed people were poorer and there were more of them.
Spaniards dislike the mixing of different ethnic cultures through reproduction. It is shown in the castas through the racist and insulting names for each mix of race. For example, the mixture of a black and a spaniard makes a mulatto which is related to the word mule. Also, the pictures make little sense including the spaniard and albino making a black-return-backwards which is of different color than the parents and it seems as if in the picture, the parents are shunning the child. In conclusion, the spaniards were very against mixing races.
These images and comments show that Spaniards held the highest positions in the castas, and it dwindled down to the blacks who were seen as lesser. This is shown as the castas go down, and the living conditions worsen. Their clothing also becomes worn out and in poor shape. The Indians are the most diversified group out of all of them, and can be seen at the top of the castas (Mestizo) and even down to the bottom (Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air). Also, this shows that the Spanish attitudes were based on race, and that a person’s life would be determined by their parents.
As you move farther down the Spaniard society, you see the livelihoods of people grow poorer with deficient living conditions and barely any food to survive. These images also display how the living environment goes from urban to rural. There is a lot of mixing of different races, and as you move farther down, people of different races become more seperate and secluded.
The way that the Spaniards reflected on the cultural on genetic mixtures seemed to be very racist. The Casta system was based on the race of ones parents. The people of a higher class, did not seem to do any physical or agricultural work. The Spanish believed themselves to be superior to every other class, as they were higher up on the list.
There were many different social classes in colonial Latin American, most of which would be considered racist in today's society. The classes were based on the race of one's parents. Certain races were discriminated more than others. People in lower classes were painted as servants and hard laborers.
There is a lot of mixing of the different races. The European, native, and African cultures blended. The status of someone was determined mostly by their racial mix. It was a racist society. In the pictures, the women usually is the one with darker skin. The pictures also show that the darker someone's skin was, the less fancily dressed they are. Often the lighter skinned people are posed in front of a big house, while others, for example the hold-yourself-in-midair, are posed in front of a small house with packs on their backs. The colors are also symbolic; people dressed in brown are portrayed as dirtier, while bright blues of the albinos represent wealth.
ReplyDeleteThe images and summary show that the Spanish saw themselves as the most superior, however, when the Spaniard married a black person or an Indian, their status in society went down. As the children became farther removed from Spaniards, their position went down. In addition, those who had no Spanish blood in them were at a much lower position in society, such as the Hold-Yourself-in-Mid-airs.
ReplyDeleteThe Spanish had a very racist attitude in colonial Latin America because the "casta" system was based on a mixture of races. The castas were assigned by the race of one's parents. In the images I noticed that a social class with a spaniard had a "higher class". Their life did not involve a lot of agriculture or peasant work like the lower class. Social classes with Indians or other "lower races" were portrayed doing hard labor and agriculture in more rural areas.
ReplyDeleteThese images show that Spaniards held the highest positions in the castas, and it dwindled down to the blacks who were seen as lesser. This is shown as the castas go down, and the living conditions worsen. The Indians are the most diversified group out of all of them, and can be seen at the top of the castas (Mestizo) down to the bottom (Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air).
ReplyDeleteIn colonial Latin America, contrary to the three classes in the United States, there were many classes. The classes, however, were more divided by ethnic background than wealth. Due to the large range of ethnicities there was often interracial reproduction that resulted in a child of mixed race. This was how the classes were divided. For example, a Spaniard and an Indian produce a Mestizo. The race that was produced resulted in placement in a social class where the people were divided based on their contribution to society. So, the Mestizos were living high class lives as it is shown in the picture by their nice clothing, house, and what appears to be a servant. This lifestyle is very different to the lifestyle of a Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air person, which is a mix of Wolf-Returns-Backwards and Indian. The Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air person is clearly living a lower life than the Mesitzo as it is shown in the picture. The Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air person is displayed as having no shoes and low quality clothing. Overall, the class division of colonial Latin America is based on ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteThe images and summaries presented here show that the spanish had a very racist attitude in colonial latin america. They organized society with them being at the top of the pyramid, and indians/negroes at the bottom. The higher a person was on the pyramid, then the easier a persons life would be. The lower a person was on the pyramid, then the harder their life was.
ReplyDeleteThese images and comments show that Spaniards held the highest positions in the castas, and it dwindled down to the blacks who were seen as lesser. This is shown as the castas go down, and the living conditions worsen. The Indians are the most diversified group out of all of them, and can be seen at the top of the castas (Mestizo) down to the bottom (Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air). Also, this shows that the Spanish attitudes were based on race, and that a person’s life would be determined by their parents.
ReplyDeleteAs you move down this system, and get farther and farther away from being a pure spaniard, it seems that the people get poorer and seem to live in a lower society than the picture before. In the pictures you can see that as you move down the list, the clothes aren't as sophisticated and their homes aren't as fancy. It also seems that they have harder jobs and less possessions. It also looks as if the lower you are on the list, the more integrated into a rural society you are.
ReplyDeleteIn colonial Latin America, one's place in the social hierarchy is determined by the race of one's parents. The Spanish attitudes of these classes can be seen in the names given to each class. For example, a black and a spaniard have children that are part of the "Mulatto." It is named after the mule, which is incapable of reproducing. This shows that Spaniards think that Africans and the Spanish should not reproduce.
ReplyDeleteThese images reflect that as generations go on and people reproduce with different mixes of backgrounds (Indian, black, and the mixes of these backgrounds) they gradually decrease in social standards/class. Also, as it goes down, it seems that the class draw closer to a more rural society. These Spaniards attitudes were based off the persons race.
ReplyDeleteThe castas system is a way to define person's social class based on their race and that of their mixed or not mixed ancestors. "Pure" races have higher castas, while the mixed people were poorer and there were more of them.
ReplyDeleteSpaniards dislike the mixing of different ethnic cultures through reproduction. It is shown in the castas through the racist and insulting names for each mix of race. For example, the mixture of a black and a spaniard makes a mulatto which is related to the word mule. Also, the pictures make little sense including the spaniard and albino making a black-return-backwards which is of different color than the parents and it seems as if in the picture, the parents are shunning the child. In conclusion, the spaniards were very against mixing races.
ReplyDeleteThese images and comments show that Spaniards held the highest positions in the castas, and it dwindled down to the blacks who were seen as lesser. This is shown as the castas go down, and the living conditions worsen. Their clothing also becomes worn out and in poor shape. The Indians are the most diversified group out of all of them, and can be seen at the top of the castas (Mestizo) and even down to the bottom (Hold-Yourself-In-Mid-Air). Also, this shows that the Spanish attitudes were based on race, and that a person’s life would be determined by their parents.
ReplyDeleteAs you move farther down the Spaniard society, you see the livelihoods of people grow poorer with deficient living conditions and barely any food to survive. These images also display how the living environment goes from urban to rural. There is a lot of mixing of different races, and as you move farther down, people of different races become more seperate and secluded.
ReplyDeleteThe way that the Spaniards reflected on the cultural on genetic mixtures seemed to be very racist. The Casta system was based on the race of ones parents. The people of a higher class, did not seem to do any physical or agricultural work. The Spanish believed themselves to be superior to every other class, as they were higher up on the list.
ReplyDeleteThere were many different social classes in colonial Latin American, most of which would be considered racist in today's society. The classes were based on the race of one's parents. Certain races were discriminated more than others. People in lower classes were painted as servants and hard laborers.
ReplyDelete