How did the Spanish organize the new territory they claimed in the new world?

Answer 1

The Spanish organized their newly claimed territories in the New World through a system of viceroyalties, which were large administrative regions governed by viceroys appointed by the Spanish crown. They established encomiendas, granting Spanish settlers the right to extract labor and tribute from Indigenous populations in exchange for protection and Christianization. Additionally, missions were set up to convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity, while a network of towns and cities was developed to facilitate governance and trade. This structure aimed to solidify Spanish control and promote economic exploitation of the resources in the colonies.