Multi-Tiered Caste System

372 Words2 Pages

The people of North America viewed the black population as an inferior resource to be used between the 1500 and 1830’s, whilst the Caribbean and Latin American colonies had a much more fixed caste system backed by those born in Europe. The North American ideologies gave the outcome of little assimilation and interbreeding between races, while on the other hand Latin and Caribbean people had a much greater assimilation. The multi-tiered caste system was the cause of it. You could move one up in society due to interracial marriages in the Latin American and Caribbean colonies (which later became nations). By marrying a white settler, a member of the old India nobility would gain tranquility, which resulted interbreeding between races to occur …show more content…

In some places it was even illegal and could be punishable by death. Unlike Latin America and the Caribbean 's, interracial marriage offered no social mobility and it was degrading for whites to even do so. If such a marriage were to happen, the children (assuming they had them) would never belong to the whites. Though this was rare, it was not unheard of and as a result, they was no assimilation. This lack of assimilation led to racial prejudice and a clear distinction between white and black. Of which took many years and lives to overcome and is still seen today. Whilst in the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean 's, a defined contrast presents itself. It was those of the lower classes in some nations, who had no voice in North America, that made the most social change. The different levels of assimilation resulted in two very different racial ideologies. Different races could join together for mutual benefit in Latin America and the Caribbean. This view was polar opposite to North America as whites and minorities were separated by a strong racial prejudice that seemed impossible to get through. The deep impact of these different ideologies left its mark on culture and created two different social