Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
COLONIAL ORDER IN LATIN AMERICA colon-america - Coggle Diagram
COLONIAL ORDER IN LATIN AMERICA
POLITICAL CONDITIONS
During the colonial period, both the kingdom of Spain and Portugal ruled over the american territory. In order to control the territory and population, both settled administartive and political institutions all over the territory.
VICEROYALTIES
A viceroyalty was a relatively autonomous territorial division of a kingdom. These institutions were governed by a viceroy, who was charged with the task of administrate and govern over a country. There were 5 europan viceroyalties in America:
SPAIN
NUEVA ESPAÑA
"Nueva España" was established in the year 1535, after the fall of the Aztec empire and the conquer of Tenochtitlan, where "Ciudad de México" was established as the viceroyalty's capital. It lasted until 1821, with Mexico's independence. By far the largest viceroyalty ever, it occupied the territories of México, and a great portion of Mesoamérica and Northamerica.
NUEVA GRANADA
"Nueva Granada" was established in the year 1717, by king Felipe V. During its existence, it has been suspended thrice: First by economic problems in 1723. Second by the independence movement in 1810. And definetly by the year 1822, when all territories were independent by the time (except for Guyana). An extensive viceroyalty, it occupied the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panamá, and Guyana, with "Santafé de Bogotá" as its capital.
PERÚ
The viceroyalty of Perú was established during the year 1542, by Carlos I. It was established after the fall of the Inca empire and the conquest of Cuzco, the Inca capital, and putting Lima as the capital of the viceroyalty. It ended by the year 1824 with Perú's independence. By far the most profitable territory of the spaniard crown by the time, as it was the main source of riches of the kingdom. It occupied the country of Perú and big part of South America.
RÍO DE LA PLATA
"Río de la plata" was established by the year 1776, by Carlos III. But it would not be unitl a year later when it would be definetly established. It ended after the "Rendición de Montevideo", in the year 1814, during the Independence war of Argentina. The viceroyalty occupied the actual territories of Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. By the capital they had "Buenos aires", a city that had little importance until that time.
PORTUGAL
BRAZIL
The only viceroyalty the Portuguese had in America. After the "Tratado de Tordecillas" in 1494, Brazil was in charge to administrate the region of the Amazonia and the East of South America. This viceroyalty was established in 1776, when the capital of "Estado del Brasil" was changed from "Salvador de Bahía" to Río de Janeiro. It lasted until the year 1808, and it was succeeded by the kingdom of Brazil.
AUDIENCIAS
The "Audiencias" were organized as collegiate authorities. They consisted of professional lawyers who, in principle, were four hearers and a prosecutor chaired by the viceroy or governor of the area.
These were: México, Panamá, Guatemala, Lima, Bogotá,
Charcas, Quito, Santiago, and Buenos Aires
CAPITANÍAS
The "Capitanías" entailed command and organization of the army and the jurisdiction that were part of the Spaniard empire.
GUATEMALA
The Capitanía of Guatemala was established by the year 1542 by king Felipe III, after the "Real Audiencia de los Confines de Guatemala y Nicaragua" was established as the maximum autority of the kingdom of Guatemala. It was finished in the year 1821, when all the countries that constituted the Capitanía declared independence. It occupied the countries of Guatemala, Belice, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Its first capital was the city of "Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala", and by the year 1776, it was "Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción", (later known as "Ciudad de Guatemala").
CUBA
This Capitanía was formed in the year 1777, after it was segregated from Capitanía de Santo Domingo and became an autonomous territory in the "Nueva España" viceroyalty. It finished by the year 1898, after the many revolutions that happened in Cuba during the second half of the XIX century, and after the Spanish - American war, which resulted in the victory of the Americans, and the loss of Spain of its overseas territories, which included Cuba. Of course, it occupied the island of Cuba, and the Luisiana Española, which is now the west of the Mississippi river, and by its capital there was "La Habana".
VENEZUELA
Venezuela's Capitanía was established in the year 1777, after an issuance of a Royal Certificate of Carlos III, to establish it in Venezuela and close territories. Only during the year 1811 it was not governed by a "Capitán", instead, it was ruled by the "Junta Suprema de Caracas", after the "Capitán" by that time, Vicente Emparan, quitted. It ended in the year 1823, when the administration was granted to the Gran Colombia. Logically, it occupied the country of Venezuela and near provinces. Its capital was "Santiago de León de Caracas".
CHILE
The Capitanía of Chile was established in the year 1540, after being separated from the nominal jurisdiction of the Nueva Andalucía government and the final settlement of the first Spaniards together with Pedro de Valdivia. For almost two centuries it was under the supervision of Peru's viceroyalty until it separated from it in 1798. It ended by the year 1810, after the establishment of the first Chilean government, until the reconquest in 1814 until 187, where a year later Chile would declare its independence. Its capital was " Santiago de Nueva Extremadura", but during the period 1560-75, it was "Concepción".
The policy or practice of a wealthy or powerful nation's maintaining or extending its control over other countries, especially in establishing settlements or exploiting resources. A rule by the wealthy or powerful nation over a weaker country is the colonial rule.
ECONOMIC DYNAMIC
The economic system by that time was mercantilism. It was also used during the colonial conquest of America. It had four characteristics.
ECONOMIC
Mercantilism was an economic system of trade that spanned from the 16th century to the 18th century. Mercantilism was based on the idea that a nation's wealth and power were best served by increasing exports and so involved increasing trade. It was the predominant economic system during the modern age, after the fall of feudalism in the end of the middle age.
PRECIOUS METALS
Mercantilism had the concept of bullionism. IE, for them, gold and silver were considered the most important minerals for a nation's wealth. This is why they hired native slaves, so that they worked in mines to extract gold and silver. This is why the Perú viceroyalty was the most profitable viceroyalty, because they were large quantities of gold and other precious minerals there.
COLONIALS
The possesions in American territory should serve as markets for exporting and as suppliers of raw materials to the mother country.
MONOPOLY
The mother country had two rules about monopoly: Manufacturing was forbidden in the colonies. And there was exclusive trade.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
During the colonial period, the Spaniards had a way to organize themselves according to their descendance, with the top being the group that had the most authority, and the lowest being the one with no rights whatsoever. It was divided in 4 groups:
SOCIOCULTURAL HIERARCHY
PENINSULARES
They were white peple who came from Spain. They had the greatest privileges within the colony and were authorized to assume the most important positions of government and administration; they were also entitled to the highest ecclesiastical and army hierarchy.
CREOLES
The creoles were born in America from European parents.They were well educated and wealthy but held no political nor social status. Some of their occupations were make tax payments to the Crown. Provide military service. Pledge allegiance to the Crown. Maintain the most important means of marketing of the crown.
MESTIZOS AND MULATOS
The Mestizos were born from an European and a native American. The mestizos were mainly engaged in work in mines and other industries in the colony. Some performed heavy work while others wandered the territory in search of them. Mulatos were born from an European with an African. They cultivated and worked the land, They protected their livestock, They were rewarded for their work but insufficient, that is, little money and few coins. They had less power than Mestizos.
SLAVES AND NATIVES
The lowest class in colonial hierarchy. They were extremely poor, and were forced by politic, economic and social powers. In the cities, the vast majority of slaves worked in the houses of Spaniards rich in domestic tasks. It was also common for masters to rent to their slaves to do handicraft work in shoe shops, carpenters, hatters, bakers, seamstresses, or saddlers. Also, numerous slaves, together with their masters, went to the New World to work in the mines or in the fields. Some were like servants or squires, others helped their owners in their profession.
