Viceroyalty of New Spain

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/viceroyalty-of-new-spain

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the capital of Viceroyalty of New Spain?Mexico City (built on the site of Tenochtitlan)
2. When was Viceroyalty of New Spain built?1535
3. How big is Viceroyalty of New Spain?Millions of square kilometers, making it one of the largest colonial entities
4. Why did Spain create a Viceroyalty instead of a Captaincy General?Spain made a Viceroy in 1535 because the area was too big for a Captaincy General. The Viceroy gave the king stronger control over the colony.
5. How did the Viceroyalty affect the people living there?The colony used systems like the encomienda to force Indigenous people and others to work. It also mixed many cultures and created a new social order called the casta.

Encomienda: A Spanish labor system that granted settlers control over Indigenous populations and their tribute.
Hacienda: Large agricultural estates that formed the backbone of rural economy and social structure.
Bourbon Reforms: A series of administrative and economic reforms implemented by the Spanish Crown in the 18th century to strengthen control and increase revenue.