Question

Who were the mestizos?

a. the descendants of Europeans born in Latin America
b. the offspring of intermarriages between Europeans and Native Americans
c. the offspring of intermarriages and relationships between Africans and Europeans
d. European officials born in Europe who lived in the colonies

Answer 1

The correct answer would be b. The offspring of intermarriages between Europeans and Native Americans.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term mestizo means mixed in Spanish, and is generally used throughout Latin America to describe people of mixed ancestry with both a white European and an indigenous background.

Answer 2

The mestizos were the b. offspring of intermarriages between Europeans and Native Americans, playing a crucial role in the social structure of Spanish colonial society in the Americas.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term mestizos refers to individuals who are the offspring of intermarriages between Europeans and Native Americans. Specifically, during the period of Spanish colonial rule in the Americas, mestizos were the children of Spanish fathers and Indigenous mothers.

This mixed population played a significant role in colonial society, often working in urban areas as artisans or serving in the lower ranks of colonial militias. Over time, the mestizo population increased substantially, shaping much of the cultural and social landscape of Latin America.

Turning to the options provided, the correct answer regarding who were the mestizos is b. the offspring of intermarriages between Europeans and Native Americans.

Mestizos were a key part of the caste system that developed during the colonial era, and they were distinguished from other mixed groups like mulattos (of European and African descent) and pure Spanish descendants such as creoles or peninsulares.