Final answer:
Peninsulares were Europeans born in the Iberian Peninsula who held administrative posts in the Spanish viceroyalty in America, occupying the top of the colonial social hierarchy and triggering tensions with the creoles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Europeans who served as high-ranking officials in the Spanish viceroyalty in America were known as peninsulares. This designation referred specifically to individuals who were born in the Iberian Peninsula, which includes Spain and Portugal, and held administrative positions in the American colonies.
The peninsulares were appointed to their posts by the Spanish Crown and enjoyed privileges that were not available to other groups, such as the creoles, who were Europeans born in the Americas, or the indigenous people and those of mixed descent. The peninsulares held the most important government positions and were seen as superior in the colonial social hierarchy due to their birthplace. This social and political system established by the Spanish empire led to tensions and contributed to the creoles' aspirations for independence and self-government.