Well Spain and Britain are large ones
The Spanish Empire, at its height during the 16th and 17th centuries, encompassed vast territories across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Key regions included Spain itself, large parts of present-day Mexico, Central and South America, the Philippines, and various islands in the Caribbean. Additionally, Spain held territories in Europe, such as parts of Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal at different times. The empire was characterized by its extensive colonial reach and influence over global trade and culture.
Various European explorers and nations established claims in the New World during the Age of Exploration. Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, is often credited with claiming parts of the Caribbean for Spain in 1492. Following him, explorers like Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro claimed large territories in the Americas for Spain, while other nations, such as France and England, also established their own claims through explorers like Jacques Cartier and John Cabot. These claims often led to colonization and significant geopolitical changes in the region.
It is necessary to have a strong military force with a large empire.
A large empire was very important for trade and also for prestige. The power of a country was judged by the size of it's empire.
Spain, Great Britain, France, and Portugal all had major empires. The Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark were minor players.
The 1542 new laws from Spain, which were issued by the Spanish King, Charles 1 was meant for Spain's colonies in the Americas. The laws were meant to protect Americas' indigenous people from large landowners' exploitation.
Spain was able to establish colonies in large areas of both continents.
Well Spain and Britain are large ones
By the 1600s, Spain had the most colonies in the Americas. Following Christopher Columbus's voyages, Spain established a vast empire encompassing large portions of South and Central America, as well as parts of North America and the Caribbean. Spanish colonies were characterized by significant territorial claims and the establishment of settlements, missions, and trade networks throughout the region.
Spain succeeded in conquering so much of the Americas because they used their religion as a main belief, the spread of European diseases weakened the Americas conquests, the Spanish soldiers and sailors had excellent fighting skills and used advanced weapons on the Native American armies, and lastly, Spain made alliances with the Native Americans, the enemies of the Incas and Aztecs.They also had some of the newest sea fairing technology available and hired Portuguese pilots with maps. The motivation was also there to find gold and riches for the crown as well as a water route to Asia.
What weakened the Roman Empire were weak emperors, invasions by outsiders, diseases, and a number of other factors.
Hernán Cortés made a claim on the royal treasure in 1521 after the fall of Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire. Following a successful siege, he and his men seized vast amounts of gold and silver, which they considered the royal treasure of Spain. Cortés subsequently sent large quantities of this wealth back to Spain to demonstrate his success and secure favor with the Spanish crown.
Analogously speaking (comparing something with the same general features); China could be considered the Oriental (Eastern) version of the Occident's (Western) Spain. Spain at one time owned vast tracts of the Americas to include many of the islands surrounding the Americas (North, Central, and South Americas)...and although Spain owned (or colonized) those lands until 1898 (when Spain's empire was no more), Spain rarely exhibited the military prowess as did Britain or France. Although China didn't colonize lands as did Spain, China remained large in territory thru-out it's history; but like Spain, China never really exhibited a military prowess like it's neighbors Russia and Japan. Therefore..."had China conducted any colonizing; it would most likely have lost them as Spain actually did."
the answer is Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Politically, it was part of the Spanish Empire and as such, it was administered by a viceroy. Financially, it was the most successful territory of Spain, contributing a large percentage of the empire's income; the modern equivalent would be the economic contribution of California and Texas to the United States; losing such economies would be considered a great disaster, if not resulting into the dissolution of the union. In the case of Spain, Mexico was one of the first colonies to fight for its independence, in 1810; by 1830 most Spanish holdings in the Americas were independent .
The Spanish Empire, at its height during the 16th and 17th centuries, encompassed vast territories across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Key regions included Spain itself, large parts of present-day Mexico, Central and South America, the Philippines, and various islands in the Caribbean. Additionally, Spain held territories in Europe, such as parts of Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal at different times. The empire was characterized by its extensive colonial reach and influence over global trade and culture.