Mestizo

Just continuing my critique of that article I mentioned on my previous post. Specially that last sentence on the first paragraph that reads "Because Latin Americans are Mestizos - a mix of European, African and Asian ancestry..."

That sentence is wrong in more than one way. Not only is it wrong for leaving out the American Indian, it's wrong because it gives the wrong definition of "Mestizo."

There are two common definitions of Mestizo. One definition defines Mestizo as someone of mixed race. The other is the definition used in Colonial Mexico during Spanish rule. This definition specifically defines a Mestizo as someone of Spanish and American Indian ancestry.

In colonial Mexico when illiteracy was high, posters depicting the casta (caste) system were posted in public spaces where the people could see them.
 
The casta system placed a Spaniard from Spain at the top of the castas, he was called a "Peninsular." Meaning he came from the Iberian peninsula (present day Spain and Portugal). A Peninsular had the most rights, specially when concerning land ownership.

The second in line was a "Criollo," someone of pure Spanish descent born in Latin America. A Criollo had fewer rights than a Peninsular.

The third in line was a "Mestizo," someone of Spanish and Indian descent. Mestizos had fewer rights than a Criollo, but more rights than the more than a dozen castas that were below the Mestizo.

Mixing with blacks resulted in offspring who were lower in the caste system and therefor had even fewer rights. Down to the pure Black (or African) who had virtually no rights and could actually be put into slavery.

This definition of Mestizo used in Colonial Mexico is the more correct one. Mestizo is a mix of Spanish and American Indian, not a mix of European, African, and Asian ancestry.