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Viceroyalty

The Viceroyalty of New Spain was established in 1535 and governed Spain's territories in North America, including what is now Mexico, the western and central United States, and the Caribbean. It was the first of Spain's four viceroyalties created to administer its conquered lands. The Viceroyalty was initially charged with converting the native population to Christianity and overseeing mining and ranching economies. However, the Indian population declined drastically in the first 100 years from an estimated 25 million to just 1 million due to disease, mistreatment, and cultural disruption brought by the Spanish.

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56 views1 page

Viceroyalty

The Viceroyalty of New Spain was established in 1535 and governed Spain's territories in North America, including what is now Mexico, the western and central United States, and the Caribbean. It was the first of Spain's four viceroyalties created to administer its conquered lands. The Viceroyalty was initially charged with converting the native population to Christianity and overseeing mining and ranching economies. However, the Indian population declined drastically in the first 100 years from an estimated 25 million to just 1 million due to disease, mistreatment, and cultural disruption brought by the Spanish.

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19/12/2019 Viceroyalty of New Spain | historical territory, Mexico | Britannica

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Viceroyalty of New Spain


HISTORICAL TERRITORY, MEXICO

WRITTEN BY: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica


See Article History

Alternative Title: Virreinato de Nueva España

Viceroyalty of New Spain, Spanish Virreinato de Nueva España, the


rst of the four viceroyalties that Spain created to govern its conquered
lands in the New World. Established in 1535, it initially included all land
north of the Isthmus of Panama under Spanish control. This later came
to include upper and lower California, the area that is now the central
and southwestern portion of the United States, and territory eastward Viceroyalty of New Spain
along the Gulf of Mexico to Florida. The Viceroyalty of New Spain was QUICK FACTS

also charged with governing Spain’s Caribbean possessions. Later, in


1565, the newly conquered Philippines were placed under the
DATE
jurisdiction of New Spain.
1535 - 1821

Although technically superior in governing authority, the viceroy in New


KEY PEOPLE
Spain was hampered in practice from exerting that authority by the
Bartolome de Las Casas
considerable independence of governors and royal audiencias in many Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
of the subordinate areas. His power was largely con ned to central and Nikolay Petrovich Rezanov

southern Mexico—from San Luis Potosí in the north to the Isthmus of Agustin de Iturbide
Francisco Vazquez de
Tehuantepec in the south. Within this territory, the viceroys of New Coronado
Spain aided in converting the native population to Christianity, Cristobal de Villalpando
developed an array of educational institutions, and oversaw an economy Antonio de Mendoza
Baltasar de Echave Orio
based almost entirely on mining and ranching. During the rst 100 years
Pope
of Spanish rule, the Indian population of New Spain declined from an
Jose Maria Morelos
estimated 25 million to 1 million as a result of maltreatment, disease, and
disruption of their cultures. MAJOR EVENTS

Laws of the Indies


Transcontinental Treaty

RELATED PLACES

Philippines
California Are we living through

a mass extinction?
Mexico
Florida

https://www.britannica.com/place/Viceroyalty-of-New-Spain 1/4

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