Final answer:
In Spanish America, a racial hierarchy was established as a result of social hierarchies and colonial policies, where European ancestry and 'purity of blood' were valued leading to Europeans born in Spain having the highest status. This system rationalized control over key positions and the enslavement of non-Europeans, contributing to societal inequities that sparked independence movements.
Step-by-step explanation:
A racial hierarchy emerged in Spanish America primarily due to social hierarchies and colonial policies. This system was heavily influenced by the notion that European ancestry denoted a superior social and moral status. Peninsulares, or Europeans born in Spain, occupied the highest ranks in this hierarchy, followed by creoles, or Europeans born in the colonies. Below them were mestizos, Indians, and people of African descent. The social structure was reinforced by control over high-ranking positions in church and state, as well as the means of production, being largely limited to peninsulares in the initial stages of colonization.
The colonial caste system was also closely linked to the concept of "purity of blood" and the origins of individuals. Racial categorization became an essential aspect of Spanish colonial rule, reflecting European superiority and religious motives to Christianize non-European peoples, simultaneously enabling the rationalization and justification of African enslavement.
Overall, racial categorization in Spanish America was used to maintain European dominance and control over the economic and political spheres. Additionally, the Enlightenment ideas and the resentment towards peninsulares contributed to rebellions and the eventual independence movements in the colonies.