Medal of Honor



Hero Street
 

Dr. Hector Perez  Garcia
 

Senator Dennis Chavez
 

Civil Rights
Organizations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

           Each was ruled by aViceroy who exercised the King's powers from a capital city. The Viceroyalty of New Spain was divided into four major subdivisions or augiencias (Nueva galicia to the north, Mexico, Guatemala, and Santo Domingo). Audiencias, in turn were subdivided into cabildo or urban jurisdictions and encomienda or royal grants of native labor and theland they occupied. Nueva Galicia also employed pesidios, or small military posts to guard missionaries and the frontier bordering Indian territory. 

The colonial society of New Spain was headed by major office holders who were appointed by the Crown for a fixed period and then returned to Spain. they were assisted by a group of American born citizens of Spanish descent called Creoles. 

This numerically larger group controlled the Indian workers on the encomienda and the black slaves imported from Africa to do the agricultural and mining labor. 

Since the Creoles never went to Spain, their political orientation developed around the colony. A racially mixed group called Mestizos soon became the largest population group but they were not politically dominant.

Since the English employed a different colonial system, initially relying upon English laborers rather than Indians or slaves (who were heavily used later), their politically active population grew more rapidly. 

In addition, the administrative system was less dependent upon the Crown for decision making and many royal office holders remained, rather than return to England. Eventually, the English colonies expanded to the borders of New Spain and their leaders were clamoring for independence from the English crown; something which the Spanish system of colonial administration prohibited. 

  America USA Copyright  © 1996-2001 All Rights Reserved