Spain
had two great Viceroyalties in the New World. One was named New Spain.
It included all the Spanish provinces north of the Isthmus of Panama. The
other was Peru which covered all of Spanish South America except the coast
of Venezuela.
These two great viceroyalities remained unaltered for
some two centuries until the coming of the Bourbons. Some 62 Viceroys ruled
in New Spain and 41 ruled in Peru over the years.
Technically Spanish Colonial America (including Mexico)
was New Spain.
New Spain grew as the savage semidesert north came slowly
to be subdued and occupied by missionary friars, miners, ranchers, and
military governments. Provinces were added as follows: New Biscay (1562),
New Leon (1579), New Mexico (1598), Coahuila (1687, Texas (1718), Sinaloa
(1734), New Santander (1746), California (1767).
The Spanish presence on the North American Continent extended
from the East Coast to the Pacific as far North in the Pacific as Nootka
Sound on Vancouver Island in what is now British Columbia.
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