1.3 Spanish Exploration, Conquest, and Spanish Colonial Society

After the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492, and the establishment of Spanish settlements in the Carribean, the Spanish took a keen interest in exploiting the wealth of this new land. What began as missions of exploration under Columbus became mission of conquest by the early 1500s, and these laid the foundations for the expansive colony of New Spain.

The creation of the colony of New Spain was a pivotal moment in the history of European colonization of the Americas, marked by the dramatic conquests of the Aztec and Inca empires by Spanish conquistadors, or conquerors seeking the immense wealth of the New World, while hoping to convert as many Native peoples to Christianity as possible. The legend of immense wealth in the New World, combined with Spain's desire to compete with other European powers, drove these explorers to venture across the Atlantic.