Why the Creoles Lead the Fight Against the Spanish

Despite the fact that Creoles were of European decent, they didn't have many of the privileges the people born in Europe had. Though they were of higher class than most people in Latin America, they didn't have much political power. Along with this, the Creoles were treated as far less important than the Peninsulares, mostly because they were not born in Europe, and held less superior jobs. Spain also viewed them as Americans, therefore they had the same restrictions as the natives of Latin America. Finally, the Creoles were considered a different race than everyone else, and did not fit into any of the groups that were already in place. This created a feeling of separation. Even though the Creoles were quite privileged, they were treated as much less than they viewed themselves to be. Their dissatisfaction with 'New World' life lead them to be the leaders of the revolution. Simon Bolivar, one of the most influential leaders in the revolution, said 'We are not Europeans; we are not Indians; we are but a mixed species of aborigines and Spaniards.' (A) This sentence alone shows that the Creoles did not feel as though they fit in with any of the many ethnicities in Latin America. The Creoles were, as Bolivar says, in a complicated position. Though they were lawfully bound to Europe, it is very likely that they never had or would see Europe. However, they also were significantly more important than the rest of the inhabitants of Latin America. This created a rift between the Creoles and the people of lower class. This feeling of not belonging likely created a great deal of unrest amongst the Creoles, who with other factors, eventually revolted against the Spanish. One of these other factors was their lack of political power. The Creoles had a lot of economic and social influence, but the Peninsulares held all the administrative positions. (B) Out of 99 judgeships in Latin America, 12 were Creoles. The rest were Peninsulares. The Creoles likely did not feel