Mulattoes
Definition
This term historically referred to individuals of mixed African and European descent during colonial times. They often occupied a social status between those of Europeans and full-blood Africans.
Analogy
Think of mulattoes as being like a hybrid car - part gas (representing European heritage) and part electric (representing African heritage). Just like how a hybrid car can operate using either power source but doesn't fully belong to either category, mulattoes in history had mixed ancestry but didn't fully fit into either racial group in society's eyes.
Related terms
Mestizos: In Latin America, this term refers to people of mixed Native American and European descent.
Creoles: People born in the Americas of Spanish or Portuguese descent.
Racial Hierarchy: A system of stratification that focuses on the belief that some racial groups are superior or inferior to others.
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