Santiago de Guatemala, 1541-1773

Download or read book Santiago de Guatemala, 1541-1773 written by Christopher H. Lutz and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 1994 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Santiago de Guatemala was the colonial capital and most important urban center of Spanish Central America from its establishment in 1541 until the earthquakes of 1773. Christopher H. Lutz traces the demographic and social history of the city during this period, focusing on the rise of groups of mixed descent. During these two centuries the city evolved from a segmented society of Indians, Spaniards, and African slaves to an increasingly mixed population as the formerly all-Indian barrios became home to a large intermediate group of ladinos. The history of the evolution of a multiethnic society in Santiago also sheds light on the present-day struggle of Guatemalan ladinos and Indians and the problems that continue to divide the country today.