CRIOLLISMO AND THE DESIRE FOR AUTONOMY IN NEW SPAIN - HISTORY - 2025

The criollismo and longing for autonomy in New Spain were closely linked phenomena generated by the few opportunities given to the Creoles in New Spain. Criollismo was a social movement that occurred in the Spanish colonization in the New World and led by the Creoles, that is, the children of Spaniards born in America.

Creoles enjoyed certain economic, social, and cultural privileges within the new American communities. However, when it comes to politics, they were strongly marginalized because they were not born in Spain.

Portrait of the Fagoga Arozqueta family, Mexican Creoles

Spanish settlers granted liberties and prerogatives to their equals, treating those born in the newly discovered territory with disdain. Consequently, with the passing of time and the rise of new generations, disagreement among the Creoles grew, which led to a hunger for autonomy and social recognition.

Who were the Creoles?

The Creoles were a social group made up of the descendants of European whites who lived on American lands as a result of Spanish colonization. The Creole caste is one of the 16 basic mixtures that emerged by combining the three basic social groups of the colonial era: whites, Indians and blacks.

When the couple (man and woman) is white and of European origin, the product of their union corresponds to a Creole.

Denomination originally for slaves

This term was originally used by the Portuguese to designate the children of enslaved blacks who were born in the American territory. However, with the passing of time this word was used to name the children of the Portuguese who were born in the conquered territories.

Thus, its use spread throughout America to name the children of European settlers, and the term was adopted in the viceroyalty of New Spain with the same meaning.

Spanish appearance

In appearance, the Creoles looked very similar to their parents, which made differentiation between Creoles and European whites very difficult.

Likewise, the customs and traditional Spanish semblance were fully respected during the upbringing of the generation of Creole whites. Only some minor differences emerged, typical of the environment that was being forged in New Spain.

The Viceroyalty of New Spain was established in early 1535 in a major area of ​​North America. Its capital was Mexico City, founded on the past Tenochtitlan.

Socioeconomic context of the Creoles in New Spain

Colonialism and expansionism of European representations on American territory had their peak in the mid-16th century.

However, as the years passed and the emergence of succeeding generations, Native Americans felt increasingly excluded from local elites despite their European origins.

Main limitations of Creoles in colonial societies

They had no political representation

The viceroy and high local officials were directly appointed by the Imperial Crown, and they were all Spanish citizens without exception.

Generally, Spanish officials traveled to the New World only to hold their assigned political positions on a temporary basis and for extremely short periods of execution.

The Imperial Crown rewarded European politicians by granting them appointments in the New World, in addition to countless financial rewards for their political services.

These types of measures gradually made the inhabitants of the viceroyalty of New Spain not feel identified with their political leaders.

Prohibition of marriages between Spanish and Creole officials

In the viceroyalty of New Spain, local laws strictly prohibited the marital union between a practicing Spanish official and a Creole woman. However, despite these types of limitations, loose unions were allowed.

Restriction on international trade relations

The Creoles had no right to establish commercial relations with a country other than Spain. This ban was aimed at limiting any type of incipient relationship with potential rivals such as England or the United States.

During the 18th century, the Creoles took over an important segment of commerce and agricultural activities in general. This brought with it the acquisition of an important economic power, followed by a social upswing.

Political offices denied

Creoles held various positions in society, of medium size, such as: landowners, mine owners, priests and missionaries, in addition to the aforementioned occupation of merchants.

In the same way, the creoles were benefited with the opportunity to study at the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico. There they had the right to prepare in specialties such as: medicine, law, religion and the arts.

Despite this, political positions continued to be unfailingly appointed to European natives, without any kind of flexibility in this regard.

Need for autonomy on the part of the Creoles

Creoles felt extremely excluded for decades from the major political and economic processes of the viceroyalty of New Spain.

With the generational evolution of the Creole whites, an identification with the American territory emerged beyond the veneration that was instilled in them for their Spanish roots.

The process of transculturation brought with it a vast hodgepodge, not only racial but also gastronomic, artistic and religious. In this sense, in the middle of the 18th century a typification of the Creoles emerged with the inhabited territory, beyond the government guidelines coming from the Crown.

In addition, the discontent of the Creoles for the lack of political and social representation served as a breeding ground for a series of political and social revolts, which served the table for successive independence movements.

Identification with the Spanish bourgeoisie

Creoles increasingly identified with the demands of the Spanish bourgeoisie who, like them, wielded significant economic influence but lacked voice and vote in the political arena.

In that order of ideas, the revolutionary ideas of the Spanish bourgeoisie served as a muse for the insurgent movements of the Creoles in the mid-18th century.

After the different independence revolts developed, the Creoles led the new territories in terms of political, economic and social power.

However, the rest of the social systems of the time maintained the status it held in colonial times, with very few differences in this regard.

References

1. Brooks, D. (2017). Criollos, mestizos, mulatos or saltapatrás: how the division of castes arose during the Spanish rule in America. BBC World. Recovered from: bbc.com
2. Criollos (2014). Recovered from: unblogvirreinal.blogspot.com
3. Florescano, E. (1986). Being a Creole in New Spain. Nexos Magazine. Recovered from: nexos.com.mx
4. The Criollos. Ceibal Digital Library. Montevideo, Uruguay. Recovered from: contents.ceibal.edu.uy
5. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2018). Creole. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org