Table of Contents
What land did the Spanish claim for their own called New Spain?
At its greatest extent, the Spanish crown claimed on the mainland of the Americas much of North America south of Canada, that is: all of present-day Mexico and Central America except Panama; most of present-day United States west of the Mississippi River, plus the Floridas.
What was the land Spain claimed in the New World?
That meant Spain claimed land stretching from what we know today as the state of California, through Mexico, the countries of Central America and the Caribbean Sea, and nearly all of South America.
What land did Spain get?
Beginning with the 1492 arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean and gaining control over more territory for over three centuries, the Spanish Empire would expand across the Caribbean Islands, half of South America, most of Central America and much of North America.
What did the Spanish find large amounts of in the new world?
By 1550 Spain had dominion over the West Indies and Central America and its large surviving native population. New World mines yielded gold and silver for Spain in far greater amounts than France and Portugal had ever been able to extract from West Africa.
What area makes up New Spain?
The Viceroyalty of New Spain’s territory included what is the Bay Islands (until 1643), Cayman Islands (until 1670), Central America (as far as the southern border of Costa Rica until 1821), Cuba, Florida, Hispaniola (including Haiti until 1700), Jamaica (until 1670) Mariana Islands, Mexico, Philippines, Puerto Rico.
How is Spain governed?
The form of government in Spain is a parliamentary monarchy, that is, a social representative democratic constitutional monarchy in which the monarch is the head of state, while the prime minister—whose official title is “President of the Government”—is the head of government.
How did the Spaniards get their gold?
Almost overnight, Spain became very rich taking home unprecedented quantities of gold and silver. These were stolen from the Incas and the mines that the Spanish came to control. The gold was used by the Spanish monarchy to pay off its debts and also to fund its ‘religious’ wars.
How many cities did the Spanish build in the New World?
By the 1570s, the Spanish had established roughly 200 cities and towns in the New World. They had also built many cathedrals, as well as the first universities in the Americas, in Lima, Peru and Mexico City. New Spain refers to Spanish possessions in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
What were the settlement patterns like in New Spain?
As in New Spain, the French colony’s settlement patterns were meant to mimic conditions in the mother country. The crown leased large plots of land to local lords, or seigneurs, as well as to the Catholic Church, which played a large role in the colony.
What was the relationship between New Spain and the Spanish Crown?
Kingdom of New Spain and its relationship to the crown. The Kingdom of New Spain was established following the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521 as a New World kingdom dependent on the Crown of Castile, since the initial funds for exploration came from Queen Isabella.
How did the Spanish treat their new world possessions?
The Spanish did not treat their New World possessions kindly. The conquistadors came to conquer new territories for power and riches. They overthrew the Inca and the Aztecs, plus a host of less-advanced civilizations. Spanish settlers came to make a fortune and return to Spain, not to stay in a new home.