How did the spanish extend their northern buffer zone to the west in the 1760's?

Answer 1

The Spanish extended their Northern buffer zone to the West in the 1760's through colonization to protect their territory of New Mexico. The Spanish influence is still seen heavily in New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Answer 2

By the 1760's, Spanish immigration to North America had appreciably declined, and Spain was attempting to firm-up her ownership of her North, Central, and South American territories.

"Province of the Californias" was the name given to the northwestern-most area of Spain's Western Hemisphere colonial possessions (plus the Philippines and other Pacific islands).
The province included California's Baja Peninsula and settlements established in the American southwest.

In 1804, the single province of the Californias was split two; Alta (upper) and Baja (lower), with Alta California (prior to the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo) including Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado.

All this was came undone as American immigration continued, leading to the Mexican-American War of 1847, with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ceding Mexican lands north of Baja California to the United States. California was annexed by the United States in 1850, and became a state in 1852, with the other territories following into statehood.

Answer 3

California