Khan Academy: Introduction to the Spanish Viceroyalties in the Americas

When the Spanish Crown (the monarchy) learned of the promise of wealth offered by vast continents that had been previously unknown to Europeans, they sent forces to colonize the land, convert the indigenous populations, and extract resources from their newly claimed territory. These new Spanish territories officially became known as viceroyalties. Read about the Viceroyalty of New Spain and Peru and view their art in this essay.