Latin America: Societies and Culture - Essay Example

Thesis statement The culture and social settings of Latin America changed significantly before, during and after the colonial era. There were changes in race; political stability, as well as the economic status of the Americans due to the new ideas, brought about by the colonial masters. Therefore, this paper shall seek to explain how race is a social construct established to defend the harsh system of labor used against blacks as well as Indians. Discussion There is no clear distinction between the racial and ethnic categories despite the fact their social analysis is finely drawn.

However, in Latin America, the terms race and ethnicity are synonymously used. This is because the processes of acculturation, deracination and miscegenation have succeeded in ironing out the cultural edges that define social groups (Cahill 1994). The migrations of Native Americans into the cities have led to the gradual loss of indigenous features. On the other hand, the world’s population was stratified along racial lines. This drew the lines between the conqueror and the conquered since the conquered were deemed inferior.

Effects of colonization in Latin America The European colonizers began to arrive in America in 1492. This was evident by the arrival of Columbus in the Bahamas. The indigenous people of the Latin America were affected in many ways. For instance, they suffered violence and numerous diseases. The Europeans later formed alliances with some of the tribes. These alliances were aimed at destroying the tribes that had declined to collaborate. As a result, the two extremely powerful Empires of the Latin America (the Aztec and Inca Empires) collapsed (Trouillot 1997).

To ensure complete colonization of the entire region; the Europeans embarked on annihilating the native people. The killings stopped, but the persecution continued. This included unemployment and under-provision of social amenities, which lead to poverty. Consequently, the Europeans dominated over the native people economically, socially and even financially. The Americans were also assaulted to compel them into cultural assimilation. The Europeans forced the native people to do away with their traditional languages, as well as their beliefs in, its effects in America are still fresh in peoples’ lives.

How racism influenced independency in America Spain was viewed as a racist country since the Moors, Jews, gypsies and other ethnic groups were chased. Long before the coming of Europeans, Indians and blacks were brought in as slaves, and this brought about a world mixture of population. It was quite evident that the colonial masters were extremely strict to blacks or Indians. One’s status in the society was highly determined by his or her race. For instance, the Spaniards were considered wealthier than all the other races.

Still, the law of the colonial masters allowed people from other races to be assimilated so that their status could rise. As a result, the blacks were divided into two groups; the privileged and the less privileged people in the society. In as much as they were divided, the blacks fought for independence as a unit. This happened because some of the dark people declined assimilation; thus, maintaining their status quo leading to the idea to fight for independence. It came a time when the natives equaled themselves to