Untitled Deck Flashcards
How did European colonial rule in the Caribbean and South America differ from that in North America?
The Caribbean and South America focused heavily on slave-based plantations and mining, while North America leaned more toward settler agriculture. Social mixing and racial blending were more pronounced in Spanish and Portuguese colonies than in the racially rigid British colonies.
What role did mercantilism play in European colonial strategies?
Mercantilism guided European colonization by encouraging exports, accumulating bullion, and using colonies as closed markets for manufactured goods and sources of raw materials like silver and gold.
How did coerced labor systems differ in Spanish colonies versus British colonies?
Spanish colonies used systems like encomienda and hacienda, exploiting Native Americans. British colonies relied more on African slavery in the South, while the North had indentured servitude.
What was the encomienda system?
It was a Spanish labor system where colonial authorities forced Native Americans to work, often under conditions akin to slavery.
How were Native American women treated under European rule?
They faced sexual violence, were transferred as gifts or slaves, and were often forced into marriages or relationships with colonizers. Some elite women gained social advantages through alliances.
What is a mestizo?
A person of mixed Spanish and Native American heritage, common in Spanish colonies, reflecting significant racial blending.
How did the British colonies’ social structures differ from those of the Spanish?
British colonies emphasized racial purity, creating rigid racial divisions. Spanish colonies allowed for more fluid social mobility, with mestizos and mixed-race individuals forming distinct classes.
What role did elite Native women play in colonial societies?
Elite Native women were often married or allied with European men to solidify political relationships, sometimes gaining land or social status.
How did enslaved African women experience colonial societies?
They faced labor exploitation, sexual violence, and loss of family autonomy but occasionally formed new communities and cultures.
What distinguished the treatment of indigenous populations in Spanish versus British colonies?
Spanish colonies integrated indigenous people into labor systems and Christianity, while British colonies often displaced Native Americans entirely.
How did colonial economies shape societies in the Americas?
Mining and plantations created wealth for Europeans, coerced labor systems marginalized Native and African workers, and social hierarchies developed based on race and economic roles.
How did Spanish and Portuguese colonies differ from British ones regarding race?
Spanish and Portuguese colonies had fluid racial categories and cultural blending, while British colonies enforced strict racial boundaries.
What challenges did Native American women face under Spanish colonial rule?
Legal systems defined them as minors, limiting property rights and autonomy, and they were often excluded from courts.
How did African slavery differ in the Caribbean compared to North America?
The Caribbean had more intense use of African slave labor on sugar plantations, with higher mortality rates and fewer family formations than in North America.
How did European colonialism impact indigenous cultures?
Indigenous religions, governance, and traditions were suppressed or blended with European customs, but some traditions and resistance persisted.
