- The role of
- General characteristics
- From the 16th to the 18th century
- Century XVI
- XVII century
- Century XVIII
- References
The education in New Spain began from the moment that the conquistador Hernan Cortes in 1519 founded La Villa Rica de la Veracruz, in what is now Mexico.
The Spanish found an advanced civilization in these new lands. The indigenous Mexicans had organized cities, ways of producing food, commercial practices, among others.
Therefore, the education initiated by the conquerors had a more political character (for domination purposes). Some of the objectives set at the beginning of the educational process were to catechize in the Christian faith, teach Spanish, and train in the arts of the old world.
The role of
The just titles was the name of the concession granted by Pope Alexander VI to King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth in 1493. This occurred a year after the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the new continent.
This was communicated to the kings through a document called Papal Donation. The Pontiff's intervention was the result of a dispute between Portugal and Spain over the new territories.
According to this concession, Spain would be obliged to evangelize the natives of the New World. The teaching of religion and good customs was the condition imposed by the Pope to recognize the rights of the Spanish monarchy over the discovered territories.
Due to this evangelizing task, the Spanish empire held the just titles to the American possessions.
General characteristics
Spain offered education mainly for the ruling aristocracy. Educational services were provided by the Catholic Church.
The upper class and the clergy were educated in the classics, while the peons and mestizos remained ignorant. The Mayans and Aztecs had their own traditional forms of education, an ethnomethodological process that was primarily oral.
From the 16th to the 18th century
Century XVI
In this first part of the process, the main help of the crown in the educational work was the Catholic Church. Its friars, the Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians, organized parishes of Indians where they were evangelized and taught. These parishes were called doctrines.
Due to the language barrier, the religious orders invented novel methods: paintings, catechisms with drawings, dance, theater and music. In addition, during this century the teaching of arts and crafts began.
XVII century
During this century the teaching of Spanish intensifies. However, by the end of the century it becomes optional. Priests with dominion over indigenous languages began to be placed in the doctrines.
During this period, the establishment of schools for indigenous girls in populations with the largest number of inhabitants is mentioned for the first time.
Also, teachers are being paid with funds from the assets of the community of Indian villages.
On the other hand, some non-noble indigenous people begin to attend the University of Mexico to study philosophy, Latin grammar, law and medicine.
This institution, founded in 1551, was from its beginnings reserved only for peninsular Spanish students and for noble natives (children and relatives of the chiefs).
Century XVIII
During this century the massification of indigenous education continues. The parents of the Indian children begin to finance their education and the doctrines are replaced by the Spanish language schools.
These new establishments teach not only Christian doctrine, but also Spanish, reading, writing, singing and sometimes playing a musical instrument and arithmetic. The teachers are bilingual lay people, not priests or friars.
References
- Gómez Méndez, SO; Ortiz Paz, R.; Sales Colín, O. and Sánchez Gutierrez, J. (2003). Mexico history. Mexico: Editorial Limusa.
- State University. (s / f). Mexico - History & Background. Retrieved on January 11, 2018, from education.stateuniversity.com.
- Tanck de Estrada, D. (s / f). The indigenous education of the 18th century. Retrieved on January 11, 2018, from biblioweb.tic.unam.mx.
- Ramírez Castañeda, E. (2006). Indigenous education in Mexico, Vol. 10. México DF: UNAM.
- Delgado Criado, B. (Coord.) (1993). History of education in Spain and America.
Madrid: Morata Editions.