The Spanish approaches to colonizing the New World refers to the methods and strategies employed by Spain in establishing and governing their colonies in the Americas. This included a focus on extracting resources, converting native populations to Christianity, and establishing centralized control.
Related terms
Encomienda system: A labor system established by the Spanish in which indigenous people were forced into labor for Spanish landowners.
Missionaries: Religious individuals sent by Spain to convert Native Americans to Christianity.
Conquistadors: Spanish explorers and conquerors who sought wealth, power, and glory in the New World through military conquests.