Everyday Life in Colonial Latin America
From 1492 to 1570, colonial life in Latin America was established when the Spanish empire settled in the area. From 1570 to 1700, colonial life was at its peak.
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Social Hierarchy
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According to "World Civilizations Online: The Global Experience: Third Edition," in Latin America, race reflected social status. At the top of this hierarchy were the whites, in the middle were those of mixed races and at the bottom were blacks and Indians.
The Church
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The Catholic Church worked closely with the Spanish government as it oversaw the colonies. Missionaries converted Indians to Catholicism because the government was heavily influenced by Catholic orders.
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Brazil
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One specific example of a colony is Brazil, which was known as a plantation colony. Portugal established this colony, which was intellectually behind the Spanish colonies. According to "World Civilizations Online: The Global Experience: Third Edition," in Latin America, the white plantation owners were at the top of the hierarchy while at the bottom were slaves who were usually brought from Africa.
Silver Production
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Around the 1560s, silver was found in Mexico and the country became the largest producer in the world at that time. Spanish authorities became obsessed with the idea of finding silver and brought Indian slaves to work the mines. Small boom towns were established, but the agricultural economy suffered because it was neglected.
Wars
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After wars were fought in South America for independence from Spain, the land was ruined, people had been uprooted and lives had been displaced. After independence from Spain, there was still social stratification that had been established originally by the Spaniards.
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