The Colonial Elite of Early Caracas: Formation and Crisis, 1567-1767

Combining traditional documentary research with new analytical strategies, Robert J. Ferry creates a rich, three—dimensional picture of early Caracas. His reconstitution and interpretation of important genealogical histories provide a model for historical studies of Latin American and other societies.

Ferry’s work partially eclipses previously accepted ideas about colonial Caracas. He shows how the society was dominated by a commercial—agricultural elite and demonstrates that women were re...