Page "Casta" Paragraph 13

:: A Spanish term meaning " native born and raised ," criollo historically was applied to both white and black non-indigenous persons born in the Americas.

In the contemporary historical literature, the term usually means only people who in theory were of full direct Spanish ancestry, born in the Americas.

In reality white Criollos could also have some native ancestry, but this would be disregarded for families who had maintained a certain status.

), As the second-or third-generation of Spanish families, some Criollos owned mines, ranches, or haciendas.

Many of these were extremely wealthy and belonged to the high nobility of the Spanish Empire.

Still, most were simply part of what could be termed the petite bourgeoisie or even outright poor.

As life-long residents of America, they, like all other residents of these areas, often participated in contraband, since the traditional monopolies of Seville, and later Cádiz, could not supply all their trade needs.

( They were more than occasionally aided by royal officials turning a blind eye to this activity ).

Criollos tended to be appointed to the lower-level government jobs — they had sizable representation in the municipal councils — and with the sale of offices that began in the late 16th century, they gained access to the high-level posts, such as judges on the regional audiencias.

The 19th-century wars of independence are often cast, then and now, as a struggle between Peninsulares and Criollos, but both groups can be found on both sides of the wars.