Terms--Colonization to Independence

Mexican History Review Terms--Section 1

Colonization through the War for Independence from Spain, 1810-1821

Identification terms on the exam will be key names
and major concepts that have been discussed in class lectures or covered in the assigned readings.

Not all terms will appear on the exam. Eight identification terms will be presented, and the student will select five to answer. These terms will not appear as multiple choice or matching. The student must provide his response from recollection--not using any notes.

For each term, the student will:

provide the three most important facts about this term and state the relevance that this term has to this course study of Mexican history.

The identification section is worth 40% of the exam grade.


Bartoleme de Las Casas -
a powerful Dominican friar and lobbyist who spoke and worked for changes that would improve the Indians' liberties;
de Las Casas convinced the Spanish monarchy to curtail the abuse of natives, by gaining enactment of the New Laws of 1542.
This was the first time native Indians were treated with human compassion, rather than as souls to convert, and laborers to exploit.

The New Laws of 1542 -
this legislation called for, among other things, the freedom of natives who had been unjustly enslaved, and the easing of labor requirements of Indians, such as shortening the length of the work day;
this threatened the power and authority of the Spanish conquerors who had greatly benefitted from the encomienda system.
If and when the encomienda system were abolished, the land that was owned by the Spanish conquistadors would revert to ownership of the crown of Spain upon the death of the current owner, rather than being inherited by the children of those individuals who had risked everything to settle in the new world.
Changing/ending this system caused a split between the monarchy of Spain, and those Spai
iards who lived in New Spain.
The Catholic Church, as well as those who worked within the encomienda system, felt that this way was the best means to control the Indians.
Also, tribute and labor generated by the encomienda system supported various charities, educational facilities, and religious institutions.
Exterminating the encomienda system would not help those people in New Spain who had explored, settled, and now produced goods for the benefit of the crown of Spain.

Peninsulars or Peninsulares, gachupines -
those living in New Spain who had been born in Spain;
considered themselves the elite in society, and usually had professions and/or government positions that enabled them to gain wealth.
These individuals looked down on all other classes as inferior to them, and this system lay the basis for social unrest.

Mestizos, mestizaje -
those of mixed parentage, with one parent being from Spain and the other an Indian native of the new world;
conquistadors seldom sent for their wives, and often arranged for female companionship with Indian women;
the Catholic Church encouraged that these relationships be blessed by the sacrement of marriage, thereby giving a legal Christain name to the offspring of this union;
the number of Mestizos soon outnumbered the peninsulares;
lighter skin was considered superior, and sometimes light skinned mestizos sometimes tried to pass as peninsulares, with such situations generating racial tensions.

creoles or criolles -
person of European ancestry (a country in Europe other than Spain, such as Italy, Germany, France, Greece, etc) who was born in New Spain;
refer to book index for additional information.

encomienda -
a trusteeship whereby Cortez, and other conquistadors who became land owners, could collect tribute or labor from natives in return for caring for them and their souls by baptising them as Christians;
refer to index.

repartimiento -
a levy of Indian paid labor for public projects in New Spain;
refer to index.

jefe politico -
chief political person of the village or other district area;
refer to index.

cacique-
an Indian chieftan or leader;
a local political boss;
refer to index.

caudillo -
a military chieftan, political leader, or dictator;
refer to index.

These terms may also be used in responding to an essay question.