<P> Columbus made four voyages to the West Indies as the monarchs granted Columbus the governorship of the new territories , and financed more of his trans - Atlantic journeys . He founded La Navidad on the island later named Hispaniola ( now divided into Haiti and the Dominican Republic ) , in what is the present - day Haiti on his first voyage . After its destruction by the indigenous Taino people , the town of Isabella was begun in 1493 , on his second voyage . In 1496 his brother , Bartholomew , founded Santo Domingo . By 1500 , despite a high death rate , there were between 300 and 1000 Spanish settled in the area . The local Taíno people continued to resist , refusing to plant crops and abandoning their Spanish - occupied villages . The first mainland explorations were followed by a phase of inland expeditions and conquest . In 1500 the city of Nueva Cádiz was founded on the island of Cubagua , Venezuela , followed by the founding of Santa Cruz by Alonso de Ojeda in present - day Guajira peninsula . Cumaná in Venezuela was the first permanent settlement founded by Europeans in the mainland Americas , in 1501 by Franciscan friars , but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people , it had to be refounded several times , until Diego Hernández de Serpa 's foundation in 1569 . The Spanish founded San Sebastian de Uraba in 1509 but abandoned it within the year . There is indirect evidence that the first permanent Spanish mainland settlement established in the Americas was Santa María la Antigua del Darién . </P>
<P> Columbus made four voyages to the West Indies as the monarchs granted Columbus the governorship of the new territories , and financed more of his trans - Atlantic journeys . He founded La Navidad on the island later named Hispaniola ( now divided into Haiti and the Dominican Republic ) , in what is the present - day Haiti on his first voyage . After its destruction by the indigenous Taino people , the town of Isabella was begun in 1493 , on his second voyage . In 1496 his brother , Bartholomew , founded Santo Domingo . By 1500 , despite a high death rate , there were between 300 and 1000 Spanish settled in the area . The local Taíno people continued to resist , refusing to plant crops and abandoning their Spanish - occupied villages . The first mainland explorations were followed by a phase of inland expeditions and conquest . In 1500 the city of Nueva Cádiz was founded on the island of Cubagua , Venezuela , followed by the founding of Santa Cruz by Alonso de Ojeda in present - day Guajira peninsula . Cumaná in Venezuela was the first permanent settlement founded by Europeans in the mainland Americas , in 1501 by Franciscan friars , but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people , it had to be refounded several times , until Diego Hernández de Serpa 's foundation in 1569 . The Spanish founded San Sebastian de Uraba in 1509 but abandoned it within the year . There is indirect evidence that the first permanent Spanish mainland settlement established in the Americas was Santa María la Antigua del Darién . </P>
where did the spanish first find a permanent settlement
where did the spanish first find a permanent settlement
Cumaná in Venezuela
Cumaná in Venezuela