AP Art History : 2D Art of the Americas
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Example Questions
Example Question #4 : Answering Other Questions About 2 D Art Of The Americas
The ______________ was a system of racial classification and hierarchy used by the Spanish elites of New Spain during the 17th and 18th centuries. This system inspired a series of artwork to be used as a reference, due to its complexity.
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Inquisition
Criollo
Mestizaje
Casta
Casta
The Casta was a system of racial hierarchy used in New Spain and also in the Philippines during and after the Inquisition, based on perceived blood purity. It was determined by birth. Those with darker features had fewer opportunities, as did their children after them.
Example Question #1 : Answering Other Questions About 2 D Art Of The Americas
This painting is from the late 18th century in the Spanish colonies of the Americas. Its purpose is ________________________.
to explain to the illiterate the extra taxes that would be levied on any mixed race couple
to discourage racial mixing in the Spanish colonies of the Americas
to illustrate the result of a certain racial mix under the Casta system of racial hierarchy
to promote racial mixing in the colonies as a way to unite the two cultures
None of these
to illustrate the result of a certain racial mix under the Casta system of racial hierarchy
The Casta system of the Spanish colonies of the Americas neither encouraged nor discouraged the mixing of races, it was simply a hierarchy of races, in which white Europeans had more opportunities and rights than their dark-skinned, indigenous counterparts. This system was the subject of much colonial artwork, as many artists were commissioned to illustrate the different races and the classification of their offspring. The title of the painting, De español y mulata, morisca, translates to English as, "From Spanish and mulatto, comes morisco." This means that the child of pure Spanish blood and mulatto blood (mixed race), would be classified as a morisco.
Image from Wikipedia Media Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mestizo._Mestiza._Mestiza.jpg
Example Question #5 : Answering Other Questions About 2 D Art Of The Americas
What was one of the purposes of hide paintings produced by Native Americans, such as Cotsiogo or Cadzi Cody?
To be used as money in transactions of services
To be used as blankets
To be given away as honored gifts
To record history
None of these
To record history
Hide paintings and oral stories were used by indigenous Native Americans to record their history, as they did not have access to the printing press until after the arrival of European invaders.
Example Question #4 : Answering Other Questions About 2 D Art Of The Americas
What myth does The Coyolxauhqui Stone explain?
The birth of Huitzilopochtli, a Mexica patron deity
None of these
All of these
The death of Coyolxauhqui, Huitzilopochtli's sister
The attempted murder of Coatlicue by her children
All of these
The answer is all of the above. The stone tells the story of Coyolxauhqui and her brothers attempting to kill their mother, Coatlicue, when they find out she is pregnant. Instead, Huitzilopochtli (the child she was pregnant with) emerges from Coatlicue's womb fully grown and defeats Coyolxauhqui. The stone depicts the exact moment Coyolxauhqui's body is broken after her beheaded body is thrown down the mountain.
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