1. 3.2 Spanish America The Spanish Empire
Council of the Indies (highest level)
This was the government in Spanish America
What did it do?
Made laws, judged legal cases, & appointed officials
Two (2) viceroys (royal governors)
Peru/Chile to Columbia
New Spain (North America, Caribbean, Philippines)
Territory run by elected officials
Too large a territory to manage well

2. What did Spain get from its empire?
Consisted of the former empires of the Aztec and Incas
Gold and Silver
Agricultural crops from Mexico

3. Governing of New Spain
Spanish Settlements (what you might find includes)
Pueblos (towns- former Indian villages)
Trading posts & center of government
Missions (Priests)
What was their mission?
Convert Indians to Catholicism
Presidios
Military bases (Florida and Texas)

4. The Economy of New Spain
Encomienda System
Gave Spanish the right to tax and demand labor from the Indians in exchange for teaching them Christianity and providing protection.
Often evolved into slavery (not the purpose)
Bartolome de Las Casas (missionary/priest)
Spoke out against Indian abuses
Slave Labor
1517 start of Plantations
Importation of Africans (abused)

5. Expanding into the Borderlands
Florida and Georgia
Goals in doing so
Kick the French out (St. Augustine)
Expansion occurred slowly due to disease, pirates, and hostile Indians
Southwest
Santa Fe and El Paso first settlements
Goal was to spread Christianity
Met hostile Indians
Built El Camino Real (system of roads to connect the empire)

6. Colonial class structure
Peninsulars (upper class white; born in Spain)
Criollos (Spanish born in America)
Mestizos (born to Spanish and Indian parents)
Indians
Slaves