History: Colonial Latin America: Mixed races of the time: Indio?

Question

Who made up the Indio race/ethnicity of the Colonial Latin American era?

What was their political power and social status?

There is a chance they're known by another name but I don't know what that would be.

AP World history, gotta love it!

Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

Depnds on what you are asking.

The ruling class were made of European descendants. Even today the light skinned tend to be the ruling class in Latin America and the native peopel tend to be poor.

Answer 2

Indio means indian.  Being Native American is not being a race, but it is being from a large group of ethnicities.The Spanish, during the colonial era allowed for coloniales to raid and subjecate the Indian population for free labor on Rancherias, farmas, in mines etc.. If a group refused to convert, they might be put to death.  All objects of great value were claimed for the Spanish Crown.

Answer 3

the Portuguese and Spanish explorers were the first to mess around with natives in Latin America.  Sailors on those early ships included some Italian and Dutch citizens.

Also, there is likely some African genealogy in there (probably Guin and Ewe)  since slave trade was already active with the Iberian traders.

Socially - the Catholics would have been the only ones recognized across the lake by the European monarchies, so they would have been the ones with any influence in the Olde world.

Current archeology being done in Belize and Costa Rican settlements may lead to some new insight.  I hope this helps for the AP class.