How did the Spanish establish and maintain their colonies?

How did the Spanish establish and maintain their colonies?

The Spanish imposed the encomienda system in the areas they controlled. In reality, the encomienda system exploited native workers. It was eventually replaced by another colonial labor system, the repartimiento, which required Indian towns to supply a pool of labor for Spanish overlords.

What was the social structure of the Spanish colonies?

The social class system of Latin America goes as follows from the most power and fewest people, to those with the least amount of power and the most people: Peninsulares, Creoles, Mestizos, Mulattoes, Native Americans and Africans.

How did Spain colonize the Philippines?

Spanish colonialism began with the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi’s expedition on February 13, 1565, from Mexico. After this, the colony was directly governed by Spain. Spanish rule ended in 1898 with Spain’s defeat in the Spanish–American War. The Philippines then became a territory of the United States.

How did the Spanish organize colonial society in New Spain quizlet?

How was the Spanish colonial society structured? Spanish colonial society was divided into a caste system. Peninsulas were the wealthy, elite and regarded themselves higher than everyone else because they were born in Spain. Creoles were the middle class, and were often born in Latin America.

How was Spanish society in New Spain organized?

During most of the colonial era, Spanish American society had a pyramidal structure with a small number of Spaniards at the top, a group of mixedrace people beneath them, and at the bottom a large indigenous population and small number of slaves, usually of African origin.

How were the colonies of New Spain organized politically economically socially?

The hierarchical order was supported through the virtual monopoly of arms, wealth, prestige, and authority by the white nobility. Until the very end of the colonial period, its existence was encouraged by the crown as a means of social and political control. It was the “head” of the body social.

When did the Spanish give up their colonies in the Americas?

Spanish colonization of the Americas. In the early 19th century, the Spanish American wars of independence resulted in the emancipation of most Spanish colonies in the Americas, except for Cuba and Puerto Rico, which were finally given up in 1898, following the Spanish–American War, together with Guam and the Philippines in the Pacific.

Who was responsible for the expansion of the Spanish Empire?

The overseas expansion under the Crown of Castile was initiated under the royal authority and first accomplished by the Spanish conquistadors. The Americas were incorporated into the Spanish Empire, with the exception of Brazil, Canada, the eastern United States and several other small countries in South America and The Caribbean.

Why did the Spanish want to colonize the Caribbean?

Spanish explorations of other islands in the Caribbean and what turned out to be the mainland of South and Central America occupied them for over two decades. Columbus had promised that the region he now controlled held a huge treasure in the form of gold and spices.

Who was involved in the colonization of the Americas?

The Spanish colonization of the Americas began under the Crown of Castile, and was spearheaded by the Spanish conquistadors. The Americas were invaded and incorporated into the Spanish Empire, with the exception of Brazil, British America, and some small regions in South America and the Caribbean.