USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The term peninsulares is defined as Spaniards living in the Spanish colonies who were born in Spain. Their status as born in Spain gave them the highest social status in the colonies and they occupied the most important positions of power in the caste, or casta system, in the colonies.

Detailed explanation-2: -New Spain first class is called Peninsulares, second is Creoles, Mestizos is the third and last on the list is the Indians. For Peru their social structure is based on three different social class. The first one is called the Upper class, second is the Middle class, and last is the lower class.

Detailed explanation-3: -During most of the colonial era, Spanish American society had a pyramidal structure with a small number of Spaniards at the top, a group of mixedrace people beneath them, and at the bottom a large indigenous population and small number of slaves, usually of African origin.

Detailed explanation-4: -Some were soldiers or missionaries directly from Spain. Others came as long time residents of New Spain (Mexico). Distinctions were made between criollos, those born in the Americas, and peninsulares, those born in Spain. Criollos were considered inferior to those who came from the mother country.

Detailed explanation-5: -The social class system of Latin America goes as follows from the most power and fewest people, to those with the least amount of power and the most people: Peninsulares, Creoles, Mestizos, Mulattoes, Native Americans and Africans.