Final answer:
Peninsulares were white Europeans born on the Iberian Peninsula who held the highest social and political status in the Spanish American colonies. They could access top government and church positions and were exempt from taxes, unlike creoles and other social classes below them. The peninsulares' privileges contributed to social tensions and desires for independence among other groups in the colonies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Who Were the Peninsulares?
The term peninsulares refers to the white Europeans who were born on the Iberian Peninsula, which is the region that includes Spain and Portugal, and later resided in the Spanish American colonies. They stood at the apex of the social hierarchy in colonial Latin America. These individuals had the ability to hold government and military offices, serve in high-ranking positions within the church, and were often exempt from paying taxes. The peninsulares were seen as nobility, and some did indeed come from noble Spanish families, although not all did. Their European birthright gave them social and political advantages over those born in the colonies.
Beneath the peninsulares were the creoles, or criollos, who were people of Spanish descent born in the Americas. Despite their ancestral roots, creoles did not enjoy the same privileges as peninsulares and were restricted from holding certain high positions. Social classes in Latin America also included mestizos (people of mixed European and Indigenous descent), mulattos (people of mixed European and African descent), as well as indigenous peoples and African slaves.
The caste system in Latin America was a rigid structure, deeply influenced by racial and geographical distinctions. It played a significant role in the daily lives of individuals, dictating status, access to resources, and social mobility. The dominance of the peninsulares over important administrative roles in the colonies was a source of tension, particularly among the creoles, and contributed to the ambitions for independence and self-governance that ultimately arose in the region.