The Spanish colonial system refers to the political, economic, and social structure implemented by Spain in its American colonies during the 16th to 19th centuries. It involved the establishment of viceroyalties and a rigid hierarchical class system.
Related terms
Viceroyalty: A viceroyalty was an administrative division within the Spanish colonial empire, headed by a viceroy who represented the king's authority.
Encomienda System: The encomienda system was a labor system in which indigenous people were forced to work on Spanish-owned estates or mines.
Hacienda: A hacienda was a large estate or plantation owned by wealthy Spaniards in the Americas that utilized slave labor for agriculture or mining.