The Rise and Fall of the Spanish Empire in the Viceroyalty of New Spain

🌎 The Viceroyalty of New Spain was a territorial entity established by the Spanish Empire in the Americas, including North and Central America, as well as the Philippines and other islands in Asia and Oceania.

🧑‍⚖️ The organization of New Spain was based on ethnicities and castes, with peninsulares holding the most important positions and criollos, who were of Spanish descent but born in America, leading the revolts that eventually led to the downfall of the Viceroyalty.

🏛️ The establishment of the Viceroyalty was preceded by the conquest of the Aztec Empire by Hernán Cortés, who proposed the name Nova Espanya for the new territories. The administration was initially carried out by the Council of the Indies and later by the Audiencia de México.

📜 The Virreinato de Nueva España was established by King Charles I in 1535 and lasted for nearly three centuries.

👑 Antonio de Mendoza was appointed as the first Viceroy, responsible for political organization and defense of the territory.

⛪️ The Spanish conquest included not only the domination of indigenous territories but also a spiritual conquest through the conversion of natives to Catholicism.

📜 The Virreinato de Nueva España was an empire ruled by Spain in the 17th and 18th centuries.

🌍 The Virreinato expanded its territories through new expeditions and reforms were implemented to fight corruption.

⚔️ Rebellions, including the Rebellion of the Matxets, and the invasion of Spain by the French led to the downfall of the Virreinato.

📜 The Virreinato de Nueva España was a vast empire that occupied territories in North America, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean and Asia-Oceania.

🌍 The population of Nueva España was diverse, with a hierarchical social structure that emphasized racial differences.

💼 The economy of Nueva España relied on mining and agriculture, with resources mainly sent back to the Spanish Crown.

👑 Nueva España was governed by a Viceroy, who held authority over various regions and provinces under the ultimate control of the Spanish Crown.

👑 The king of Spain was the ultimate authority in the Viceroyalty, with all powers concentrated in his figure, especially the legislative power.

🗺️ The vastness of the colonial territories required the appointment of a Viceroy to represent the king on the ground and enforce the laws.

⚖️ The Real Audiencia was the main institution of justice in the Viceroyalty, created by Charles I in Mexico and responsible for imparting justice and assuming power in the absence of a Viceroy.

🏛️ To govern the entire Viceroyalty, decentralized organs of government were created, such as the audiencias, which had legislative functions, and the smaller administrative divisions known as district audiencias.

⛪ The Catholic Church exercised significant power in the Viceroyalty, converting indigenous people and becoming one of the largest landowners.

🌍 The indigenous population drastically decreased due to epidemics, forced labor, and other circumstances, while the white population grew rapidly with the arrival of Spanish settlers and the birth of criollos.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 A prominent feature of the Viceroyalty's society was mestizaje, particularly between indigenous men and women.

⭐ The Viceroyalty of New Spain was an empire established by Spain in the Americas.

👤 Different groups of people had varying rights and social status in the Viceroyalty.

💰 The economy of the Viceroyalty relied heavily on mining and agriculture.

🌍 The video discusses the rise and fall of the Spanish Empire in New Spain.

🏰 The Spanish Crown established various systems of land ownership, including encomiendas and mercedes reals.

⛪️ The Catholic Church acquired a significant amount of land and capital in New Spain.

🚢 Trade in New Spain was controlled by the Spanish Crown, with goods such as gold, silver, sugar, and cocoa being exported, and salt, wine, oil, and weapons being imported.

💰 Spain imposed restrictions on trade in order to protect its interests, leading to the rise of smuggling and monopolies.

🔥 Taxation and restrictions on commerce in the colony resulted in various rebellions.