Criollo (people) facts for kids

The Criollos (say "Kree-OH-yohs") were an important social group in the Spanish colonies. These colonies were set up by Spain in the 1500s, especially in Latin America. A Criollo was someone whose family was mostly or entirely Spanish, but they were born in the colonies, not in Spain.

In the Spanish colonies, there was a system of social classes. The Criollos were seen as lower in rank than the Peninsulares. Peninsulares were people who were born in Spain and then moved to the colonies. However, Criollos had a higher social standing than all other groups. These other groups included people of mixed heritage, Native Americans, and enslaved Africans.

The word Criollo is often translated into English as Creole. But be careful! The word "Creole" is also used for many other groups around the world. These groups might not have any historical link to Spain or its colonies.

Criollos and Independence Wars

For a long time, the Spanish colonies were ruled by laws from Spain's Habsburg family. These laws gave the colonies a lot of freedom. But things changed around 1760 under King Charles III. This period was known as the Bourbon Reforms.

Why Spain Needed More Money

Spain was fighting many wars in Europe and around the world. To pay for these wars, the Spanish government needed more money from its colonies. So, they started to give more power to the Peninsulares. These Spanish-born people took over many important jobs in the government that Criollos used to have.

At the same time, changes in the Catholic Church also reduced the power of lower-ranking church leaders. Most of these leaders were Criollos. This made many Criollos feel unfairly treated by Spain.

The Path to Independence

By the 1800s, the Criollos were very unhappy with Spain's unfair rules. They also saw how the American and French revolutions had brought freedom to other nations. These events inspired the Criollos to fight for their own independence.

With growing support from other social groups, the Criollos began to rebel against Spain. They fought for independence from 1809 to 1826. This led to many new independent countries in Latin America.

Images for kids

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  A Criollo playing music for an Inca woman around 1615.

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  Criollo musicians and Indigenous dancers at a festival around 1782.

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  Guatemalan Criollos celebrating their independence from Spain in 1821.

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  Lope Díez de Armendáriz was the first Criollo to be a viceroy in New Spain.

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  Venezuelan musicians performing música criolla (Criollo music).