USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -In the Spanish colonies, the hierarchical social classes started with the peninsulares, Creoles, mestizos, mulattoes, Native American Indians, and and ended with slaves. The peninsulares were the original Spanish people who came into the colonies, and they held the highest position in the colony.

Detailed explanation-2: -In the Latin American colonies, individuals that were born in Spain and then moved to the Americas were in the highest class. They were called peninsulares because they were born on the Spanish peninsula. These powerful elite only made up two percent of the population. Creoles were next in line.

Detailed explanation-3: -At the bottom of the hierarchy were people of mixed African and indigenous heritage referred to as zambos . The mention of this category in colonial records illustrates the presence of African-descended peoples, despite the fact that they are not often mentioned in most histories of New Mexico.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Casta System was created in colonial times to explain mixed race families to those back in Spain but this racial hierarchy remained in place long after the Spanish had left Latin America. The Casta System was created by the Spanish to maintain their power and superiority to other racial groups in the colonies.