The Spanish Empire was one of the first global empires, spanning Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania from the 15th to the 19th centuries. It began expanding in 1492 after the reconquista of Spain, when Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas launched the Spanish colonization of the New World. By the 16th century, the Spanish Empire extended across most of the Americas and into Asia, dividing its territories into the primary viceroyalties of New Spain, New Castile, and New Granada. The empire lasted over 300 years and was fueled primarily by silver mining in Peru and Mexico, though it underwent many administrative and economic changes over its long history.

1. Spanish Empire
 The Spanish Empire being the
largest empire in world history was
one of the first global empires.
 Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia
and Oceania between the 15th and
late 19th centuries.
 The Spanish also held several
different colonies in Africa until the
20th century.
 In 1492 after the reconquista of the
Iberian peninsula. Following that
current year, Christopher Columbus
commanded a Spanish exploratory
voyage across the Atlantic Ocean
that lead to the discovery of
America.

2. Geography
 Columbus's explorations of the late
fifteenth century where Spain took
the lead in developing an empire in
the New World.
 The Spanish Empire extended
across most of the Americas and
into Asia by the sixteenth century.
Spain divided up their world into
three primary States:
 New Spain, New Castile, and New
Granada.
 The Spanish felt they were superior
and even priests would feel it was
right to dominate the world.

3. Economy
 Spanish empire huge, lasted more
than 300 years, went through many
changes .
 Rigid rules, often ignored; layers of
bureaucracy. Mainstay of economy
was silver, more than gold, produced
in Peru and Mexico
 The marriage of the Reyes Catolicos,
created a confederation of reigns,
each with their own
administrations, but ruled by a
common monarchy.