Caucasian vs White
The term Caucasian is generally applied to white people, but it is a broad term that includes people from various regions of the world. Although scientists have rejected the term Caucasian as a major division of human races, it still remains in popular use. In the United States and Europe, Caucasian is often used to describe people with white skin, but it is important to note that the term is broader than just referring to people of white skin. Let’s take a closer look.
The term Caucasian was first used by German scientist Blumenbach in the early 19th century to refer to a specific human race based on his study of human skulls. He divided human races into Caucasians, Mongoloids, Ethiopians, Americans, and Malayan. Blumenbach believed that studying human skulls was the best way to categorize them into races. He labeled people from the Caucasus region as Caucasians and considered them the most superior of all human races. A lot has changed since then, and Blumenbach’s views are no longer considered accurate. The classification system of human races has also changed significantly. However, the word Caucasian continues to be used in modern terminology, often referring to people with white skin in the US and across Europe.
Historically, the Caucasian race included people not only from America but also from North Africa, Western, Central, and South Asia. Even today, people of South Asian origin are sometimes referred to as Caucasians in Britain, although there are many who believe it is politically incorrect to label people with colored skin as Caucasians.
Key Takeaways
– The term Caucasian was first used by German scientist Blumenbach in the early 19th century to refer to a specific human race based on his study of human skulls.
– Caucasian is a broad term that includes people from various regions of the world, not just those with white skin.
– Although the term Caucasian has been rejected by scientists as a major division of human races, it continues to be used in popular terminology, often referring to people with white skin in the US and across Europe.
