9781422286883

Meeting Future Challenges: The Government of Mexico

These Mayan ruins loom over the coast of Quintana Roo. Unlike many other ancient Mexican societies, the Mayan culture has never completely died out. There are currently about 6 million Mayan Mexicans who speak the language and live according to some of the traditional customs.

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possession the viceroyalty of New Spain. The rulers of New Spain were officials appointed by the Spanish royal family. The viceroy controlled the central areas, while governors were appointed to look after outlying areas. New Spain society placed white people from Spain, or peninsulares , in the position of greatest power, while their descendants, called criollos (or creoles), were next in social standing. Below the criollos came African slaves and people of mixed race. These included the mestizos , who were of mixed Spanish and native race. The Catholic Church, which was the official religion, influenced most aspects of society. From the 1760s onward, King Charles III of Spain felt that the New Spain colony had become too self-reliant. He wanted to increase his own control over New Spain and collect more taxes from the colony. The king created more positions in the government, all of which were given to peninsulares. The changes in the organization of the government were called the Bourbon Reforms. In most cases,