History Discussion Post
Purpose:
The establishment of New Spain and the translation of Spanish concepts into the New World context, along with the physcial movement of Spanish colonists and enslaved Africans, would soon generate the conditions for a social hierarchy known as the sistema de castas. While one's place in the hierarchy did much to determine the kinds of economic and political opportunities one could access, the conceptual foundations made it flexible in ways that we may expect. In this Canvas discussion, we'll try and get into the specifics of how the sistema de castas emerged as it did, and in response to what conditions.
Task:
This presentation from the Denver Art Museum [5:38] (YouTube Video) discusses a 1775 set of casta paintings. Speakers Sabina Kull and Beth Harris talk about the "anxiety" that led to the creation of these paintings, which represent colonial classifications. In your first post, use evidence from Martínez to talk about one of the sources of this anxiety (impurity, idolatry, etc.) and explain, in your own words, why this was a source of anxiety for the Spanish Crown.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.