6 characteristics of the most outstanding PENINSULAR SPANIARDS

One of the biggest problems that the colonies had before they became independent were the great social differences between the natives and those from the metropolis, the latter being much more privileged and with greater influence than the natives of the area. This was common in many colonies, but especially in the american, where those born in mainland Spain had enormous influence. For all these reasons, in this lesson from a Teacher we are going to talk about the Characteristics of the most outstanding peninsular Spaniards.

Index

1. Who were the peninsular Spaniards?
2. What are the characteristics of the peninsular Spaniards
3. Why did the Spanish travel to America?
4. The evolution of the peninsular Spaniards

we call "peninsular Spaniards" to those people born in mainland Spain that they went to the American colonies, either because they had been given positions in the area, or because they were looking for a better life in the so-called New World.

The colonial lands were huge and had mostly native populations, so the Spanish needed these new colonies were inhabited by Spaniards to take over the area, both physically and socially. In addition, the king needed to send trusted people to the area, since such a huge land needed good managers and the nobility of the time was the most suitable for it.

The Spanish government created encomiendas, which served to occupy the areas and conquer them, and were given to certain peninsular Spaniards to take the land. These first peninsular Spaniards were called gachupines or godos and they occupied the highest social spheres, having all possible privileges both socially and economically.

At the beginning, the peninsular Spaniards were Spanish power incarnate. They held the top positions in the government and the army, and could even hold some of the highest ranks in the clergy. Of these, some were not nobles, but sailors or adventurers who received positions such as hidalgos to have some power in the area.

In general, it can be stated that all Spanish arrived from the peninsula to America he became a peninsular Spaniard.

Being the peninsular Spaniards a very interesting and unique social class It is interesting to know some of its main characteristics, in order to know some of its greatest particularities. And for that reason the main features of the peninsular Spaniards are the following:

1. The peninsular Spaniards were privileged classes in the colonies, being the people who occupied the social ladder, and therefore possessing greater privileges than the rest.
2. The requirements to be peninsular Spaniards were come from the peninsula, so within the group we find as many nobles as people from the common people, since what granted power was not social origin or wealth, but only coming from this place.
3. The majority of peninsular Spaniards were people who they went to the new continent in search of a better life, considering that this new land offered many more opportunities than Spain.
4. Another of the Characteristics of the peninsular Spaniards is that they were the only people who could apply for the positions, so the administration and management of the colonies were only in the hands of the peninsular. They were also the leaders of the clergy and the army.
5. The life of the peninsular Spaniards was not luxurious like that of the nobility, but they managed to get glarge sums of money, enough food and even many of them had slaves.
6. They owned most of the land, being, therefore, those who received the money for working the land and the agricultural surplus.

In 1492 took place the arrival of Christopher Columbus in America, being the first Western European to reach this continent. Thus began a conquest that, for years, would cause a large part of American soil to be conquered by the Spanish, who paid for Columbus' trip.

After this first trip, there were many navigators and adventurers Spaniards who marched to the new continent seeking to conquer, discover and obtain important positions and wealth in the area. Some of these men were Hernan Cortes either Francisco Pizarro, who took years to take over the region. His example was followed by numerous Spaniards, who went to the new continent, considering that they could achieve great things in the region.

The Spanish voyages to continental America they were more and more common, since the conquered land was enormous and many Spaniards considered that they could have a better life in it.

The origin of the peninsular Spaniards arise with the conquests of the Spanish adventurers, being the first to begin to inhabit and govern the area.

To finish this lesson on the with this lesson on the characteristics of the peninsular Spaniards, we must talk about the evolution that this social class underwent during the colonial era, since it was not the same for all centuries.

As expected, the peninsular Spaniards began to have children on American soil and these could no longer be called peninsulares as they were born in the colonies, so they received the name of Creoles. These were legally Spanish, being the children of Spaniards and being born on Spanish soil, albeit colonial, but still all of them were undertreated than to the peninsular.

Over the years, the peninsular Spaniards were dying, as it was becoming less and less common for Spaniards to travel from the metropolis to the colony. The Creoles were substituting, little by little, to the peninsular Spaniards, since they were almost identical to them.

At the end of the 18th century in America, the peninsulars were only 0.2% of the population.n, showing that they had been replaced by Creoles. Even so, the social difference was maintained, with the remaining peninsulars still being more important than the Creoles. These were the only positions that the peninsulars did not want, since it was common that when someone was needed for an important position such as viceroy, Nobles were sent from the peninsula to occupy these positions and that they would not end up in Creole hands.

When the american revolutions began, the peninsulares were almost non-existent, being the creoles those who started these revolutions angry at not having important positions in the American colonies.

If you want to read more articles similar to Peninsular Spaniards: salient features, we recommend that you enter our category of History.

• Alberro, S. (1992). From the Gachupin to the Creole: or how the Spaniards of Mexico ceased to be Spaniards (Vol. 122). College of Mexico, Center for Historical Studies.
• Rubio, d. (1942). Culture in the Spanish Colonies of America. Institutional magazine | UPB, 8(25-26), 276-289.
• Rodriguez, J. AND. (2016). The independence of Spanish America. Fund of Economic Culture.