Spanish America was racially divided by a hierarchy called the Caste System imposed by the Spanish Crown .This system sets certain rules on which color skin gets the most privileges in society. The whites who were at the top, next were the Creoles, beneath them were the Native Americans, who were the official wards of the Crown but yet they were still greatly exploited and abused. Mestizos, who are people of mixed Native American and white heritage, and they suffered legal and social discrimination. Both mestizos and free people of color were barred from serving in bureaucracies of the church, state, or military. In the lowest caste were the African slaves who had no right and were considered as property. The lower castes wanted a say in their society. "Designations, either colorful or derogatory, that defined the degree of racial mixture, helped to maintain a sullen resentment and a sense of ethnic inferiority." (Radin, 76) The wealthy Creoles were able to get positions of authority, but were always a step lower in the social ladder from the natural white Spanish people. They were tried of being racially oppressed and denied high government positions and privileges just because of the color of their skin. When Spain, in an attempt to centralize their administration and began replacing Creoles with Spaniards in judicial and legislative offices, the tension escalated even more. This challenged the wealthy Creoles, and motivated them to support independence. "The antagonism and bitter feelings between American Creoles and those Spaniards born in the Iberian Peninsula, who came to Latin America, helped ignite the emotional tinderbox that flared in 1810." (Clayton & Conniff, 20) At this point, the Creoles wanted control. So they affirmed their loyalty to imprisoned Fernando VII. They convinced the viceroy to call a representative assembly to provide the Creoles with legitimacy while the King was out the picture.
