Spanishcolonial
Spanish colonial refers to the period in which territories controlled by the Spanish Empire in the Americas, the Philippines, and other overseas domains were governed as colonies after the voyages of exploration beginning in 1492. The era roughly spans the late 15th through the early 19th centuries, with some possessions retained until the end of the 19th century. Governance relied on viceroyries, audiencias, and the Laws of the Indies.
Key administrative units in the Americas included New Spain, Peru, New Granada, and the Río de la
Economically, the empire depended on mining—especially silver from Potosí, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato—and on agriculture. Trade was
Catholicism shaped education, art, and urban life, while missions, churches, and universities spread across towns and
Independence movements in the 1810s–1820s dismantled most mainland colonies, though the Philippines remained under Spanish rule