Spain Creates a Class System
Spain Creates a Class System is a Grade 5 history skill from California myWorld Interactive, Chapter 3: Settling the Colonies in North America. Students learn about New Spain's strict hierarchical class system, with Spanish-born Peninsulares at the top holding government and church positions, mixed-heritage groups in the middle, and American Indians and enslaved Africans at the bottom with few rights and forced labor.
Key Concepts
In New Spain, a person's place in society was decided by their family background. The Spanish created a strict class system that was like a pyramid, with the most powerful people at the top and the least powerful at the bottom.
People born in Spain, called Peninsulares , were at the top. They held the most important jobs in the government and the church. Below them were people of Spanish descent born in the Americas, and people of mixed Spanish and American Indian heritage.
Common Questions
What was the class system in New Spain?
New Spain had a strict pyramid-shaped class system. Peninsulares (people born in Spain) were at the top, followed by Spanish descendants born in the Americas, then mixed-heritage individuals. American Indians and enslaved Africans were at the very bottom.
Who were the Peninsulares?
Peninsulares were people born in Spain who held the most important jobs in the government and church in New Spain. They were at the top of the colonial class system.
How were American Indians treated in New Spain's class system?
American Indians and enslaved Africans were at the very bottom of the class system. They had few rights and were often forced into hard labor on farms and in mines.
What textbook covers Spain's class system for Grade 5?
This topic is covered in California myWorld Interactive, Grade 5, Chapter 3: Settling the Colonies in North America.