New World: Perceptions, Power, and Syncretism

Myths:
- Terrestrial Paradise: A paradise existing on Earth, not just in heaven.
- El Dorado: An imagined city made entirely of gold.
- California: Originally an imagined, beautiful territory (from 'Cali' meaning beautiful).
Contrasting Views on Indigenous Americans:
- "Good Savage": Portrayed as naturally good, ignorant, primitive, and innocent individuals living in rural America.

Corregidores: European officials responsible for tax collection, administration, and justice, often abusing their extensive power over indigenous populations.
Caciques: Indigenous leaders incorporated into the colonial structure, sometimes holding political standing equivalent or superior to encomenderos.
Encomenderos: Private individuals granted control over indigenous labor. While not part of the formal colonial hierarchy, they accumulated significant power through the exploitation of indigenous workers, often leading to abuses (e.g., being carried like royalty, which was considered scandalous).

Literal Orphanhood: The direct loss of parents due to the conquest.
Political/Cultural Orphanhood: A broader sense of loss experienced by indigenous peoples through displacement, forced assimilation, and disconnection from their traditions and customs.

Juan Diego: An indigenous man to whom the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared. His cloak supposedly imprinted with her image. He was canonized as the first indigenous saint in 2002.
The Virgin of Guadalupe: A key syncretic figure. Her apparition transformed the