How did the Spanish respond to the discovery of a new world?

The Spanish responded to the discovery of the New World with a mix of ambition and zeal, driven by the prospects of wealth, land, and the spread of Christianity. They quickly established colonies, explored vast territories, and sought to exploit resources, particularly gold and silver. The Spanish Crown supported these endeavors through the encomienda system, which allowed colonists to extract labor from Indigenous populations. This led to significant cultural exchanges but also to devastating consequences for native societies due to disease, conquest, and forced labor.