The Spanish colonization of the Americas describes Spain's conquest, settlement, and rule over much of the Western Hemisphere.
Beginning with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Spanish Empire gradually expands from early small settlements in the Caribbean to over three centuries to include Central America, most of South America, Mexico, what today is Southwestern United States, the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of North America, reaching Alaska.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Spanish possessions in America begin a series of independence movements, which culminate in Spain's loss of all of its colonies on the mainland of North, Central and South America by 1825.
The remaining Spanish colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines are occupied by the United States following the Spanish-American War of 1898, ending Spanish rule in the Americas.
The Spanish settle in many different places all over America.
