Colonial Society and Class Structure

  1. Themes
    1. Colonial political administration
    2. Construction of class society
    3. Labor systems
  2. Colonial Administration
    1. Mexico
      1. Hernán Cortés
      2. Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza (1535)
    2. Peru
      1. Francisco Pizarro
      2. Viceroy Francisco de Toledo (1569-81)
      3. Reducciones
  3. Political structure
    1. Crown (Spain, Portugal)
    2. Council of the Indies
    3. Viceroy ("in place of king")
      1. "Obedezco, pero no cumplo"
      2. "I do little, & I do it slowly"
    4. Audiencias
    5. Town Council (Cabildo)
  4. Determinants of class
    1. Cities
      1. vecinos (citizens)
      2. habitantes (residents)
    2. Rural
      1. gente de razón
      2. gente sin razón
  5. Class Structure
    1. Landowner (encomendero)
      1. Peninsulares
      2. Creoles
    2. Professionals & Merchants
    3. Slaves
    4. Indians
    5. Women
  6. Labor systems
    1. Encomienda
    2. Repartimiento (or Mita)
    3. Hacienda (hacendado)
    4. Obrajes (textile workshops)
    5. African slavery
  7. Important points
    1. Power struggles
    2. Highly stratified class society
    3. Exploitative labor systems