Virreinato de Nueva España

The Virreinato de Nueva España, or Viceroyalty of New Spain, was a major colonial territory established by Spain in the Americas from the early 16th century until the early 19th century. It encompassed much of present-day Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. Governed by a viceroy, it served as an administrative region for executing Spanish laws and policies. The viceroyalty was vital for Spain’s economic exploitation of resources and trade, leading to significant cultural exchanges and development, while also facing resistance and eventual independence movements in the early 1800s.