New Spain () was a colonial territory of the Spanish Empire in the New World north of the Isthmus of Panama. It was established following the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521, and following additional conquests, it was made a viceroyalty (Spanish: "virreinato") in 1535. The first of four viceroyalties Spain created in the Americas, it comprised Mexico, Central America, much of the Southwestern and Central United States, and Spanish Florida as well as the Philippines, Guam, Mariana and Caroline Islands. 

After 1535 the colony was governed by the Viceroy of New Spain, an appointed minister of the King of Spain, who ruled as monarch over the colony from its capital, Mexico City. New Spain lost parts of its territory to other European powers and independence, but the core area remained under Spanish control until 1821, when it achieved independence as the Mexican Empire – when the latter dissolved, it became modern Mexico and Central America. 

New Spain developed highly regional divisions, reflecting the impact of climate, topography, the presence or absence of dense indigenous populations, and the presence or absence of mineral resources. The areas of central and southern Mexico had dense indigenous populations with complex social, political, and economic organization. The northern area of Mexico, a region of nomadic and semi-nomadic indigenous populations, was not generally conducive to dense settlements, but the discovery of silver in Zacatecas in the 1540s drew settlement there to exploit the mines. Silver mining not only became the engine of the economy of New Spain, but vastly enriched Spain and transformed the global economy. New Spain was the New World terminus of the Philippine trade, making the viceroyalty a vital link between Spain's New World empire and its Asian empire. QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. Was the northern part of Mexico known to have a small population?
2. Did few people live in the northern part of Mexico?
3. 
Q2:
1. Did the Southern and central areas of Mexico have dense indigenous populations with complex social, political, and economic organization?
2. Were dense indigenous populations with complex social, political, and economic organization present in the Southern an central areas of Mexico?
3. 
Q3:
1. Did few people live in the central and southern areas of Mexico?
2. Did the central and southern areas of Mexico have very few people living there?
3. 
Q4:
1. Were a lot of cities and settlements present in the northern area of Mexico?
2. Was the northern area of Mexico known to have a lot of cities and settlements?
3. 
Q5:
1. What material was found in the northern areas of Mexico?
2. What kind of material was present in the northern areas of Mexico?
3. 
Q6:
1. When was silver discovered in the northern areas of Mexico?
2. Silver was discovered in the northern areas of Mexico in what decade?
3. 
Q7:
1. What is the name of the place in the northern areas of Mexico where silver was found?
2. Silver was discovered in which place in the northern areas of Mexico?
3. 
Q8:
1. What population was in control of New Spain as of 1521?
2. As of the beginning of 1521, which population was in control of New Spain?
3. 
Q9:
1. How many centuries did the Spanish remain in control of New Spain for?
2. New Spain was controlled by the Spanish for how many centuries?
3. 
Q10:
1. Was all of the land in New Spain very similar?
2. Were there a lot of similarities regarding the land in New Spain?
3. 
Q11:
1. The Viceroy of New Spain was appointed in 1535 by which person?
2. Which person is responsible for appointing New Spain's Viceroy in 1535?
3. 
Q12:
1. What is the name of the city that the Viceroy of New Spain ruled from?
2. The Viceroy of New Spain ruled from which city?
3. 
Q13:
1. Was Mexico City the capital city of New Spain?
2. Was New Spain's capital city called Mexico City?
3. 
Q14:
1. What did the Mexican Empire become following its dissolution in 1821?
2. The Mexican Empire became known as what regions following its dissolution in 1821?
3. 
