"The Spanish Colonial System"

The Spanish Colonial System was the political and economic structure used by Spain to control its territories in the Americas and elsewhere from the 16th to the early 19th centuries. It involved establishing colonies governed by officials sent from Spain, with a focus on resource extraction, trade, and spreading Christianity. The system emphasized strict social hierarchies, with Spanish colonists and officials at the top and indigenous peoples and enslaved Africans at the bottom. Key institutions included the encomienda and hacienda systems, which exploited local populations and resources to benefit Spain's empire.