AP World 19.5

Multi-ethnic societies

Societies composed of various ethnic groups, as formed in Latin America after the conquest and settlement.

Miscegenation

The mixing of different racial groups through marriage or sexual relations, significant in the formation of Latin American societies.

Sociedad de Castas

American social system based on racial origins; Europeans or whites at top, black slaves or Native Americans at bottom, mixed races in middle. 

Mestizo

A person of mixed European and indigenous ancestry, often occupying an intermediate social status in colonial Latin America.

Casta

People of mixed racial backgrounds in colonial Spanish America, often functioning as shopkeepers and small farmers.

Creoles

People of Spanish descent born in the Americas, who held significant economic power and developed a distinct identity as American Spaniards.

Peninsulares

Individuals born in Spain, who held the highest social status in colonial Latin America.

Hierarchy of race

A social stratification system based on race, impacting people's status and opportunities in colonial Latin America.

Gender roles

Socially constructed roles assigned to men and women, with women expected to fulfill domestic duties and subordinate positions in society.

Legal authority of a father

A father had legal control over his children until they were 25 years old in colonial Latin America.

Inheritance rights

The rights of women to inherit property, which were recognized in colonial Latin America regardless of their marital status.