Question

Whiteness is a social category and system of human classification invented in the American colonies during the early 1700s to accomplish which of the following?

A) Social integration
B) Economic equality
C) Racial hierarchy
D) Religious harmony

Answer 1

Whiteness is a social category and system of human classification invented in the American colonies during the early 1700s to establish racial hierarchy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Whiteness is a social category and system of human classification that was invented in the American colonies during the early 1700s to establish racial hierarchy. It indicated European ancestry and denoted social and moral superiority. This system of classification was used to justify the domination and oppression of other racial groups, particularly enslaved Africans, and to maintain the power and privileges of the White population.

Answer 2

Whiteness was created as a social classification to establish and maintain a c. Racial hierarchy that justified European superiority and the dominance of White people over other races. It functioned as a social marker, strengthening the institutions of slavery and apartheid, and became a means of social identity and dominance in colonial society.

Step-by-step explanation:

The construction of Whiteness as a social category and system of human classification during the early 1700s in the American colonies was intended to establish a Racial hierarchy. This hierarchy served multiple functions: It entrenched the superiority of European ancestry and the status of Christians in social and moral spheres. Additionally, it enabled European males born in the Iberian Peninsula to maintain dominance over those of European descent born in the Americas. These distinctions helped solidify social ranks and facilitated the exclusion and exploitation of non-White populations in various socio-economic and legal contexts, strengthening systems such as slavery and apartheid.

Racial classifications played a role in supporting the institution of slavery and the socio-economic structure of colonial societies. It provided a means for White colonists to delineate and justify their elevated status, fostering a shared racial bond and identity, which reduced class tensions among Whites. Consequently, even those who did not own slaves derived a sense of superiority and belonging from their racial status. Whiteness was a clear testament to one's proximity to power and control over others, a concept that has been interrogated and analyzed in depth through Whiteness studies and critical race theory. These frameworks explore how Whiteness has been historically constructed to perpetuate systemic racism and inequality.