Latin American Social Class System

Peninsulares

Europeans who were born in Spain or Portugal (Liberian Peninsula) sent to America to control the government completely.

Creoles

White Spaniard or Portuguese born in the colonies. They owned most of the land, but were treated like second class citizens and were denied political rights.

Slaves/Indians

Lowest social class, they had no rights. And were often treated poorly and used as a labor source by the plantaions owning creoles.

Metizes

Mixed ancestry of american Indian and European who speak Spanish, denied basic political, economics and social rights due to their mixed heritage.

Malattoes

Spanish/African- Denied basic political, economic, and social rights due to their mixed heritage