Spain had two great Viceroyalties in the New World.  One was named New Spain.  It included all the Spanish provinces north of the Isthmus of Panama. The other was Peru which covered all of Spanish South America except the coast of Venezuela.

These two great viceroyalties remained unaltered for some two centuries until the coming of the Bourbons.  Some 62 Viceroys ruled in New Spain and 41 ruled in Peru over the years.  Technically Spanish Colonial America (including Mexico) was New Spain.

New Spain grew as the savage semidesert north came slowly to be subdued and occupied by missionary friars, miners, ranchers, and military governments. Provinces were added as follows:

• New Biscay (1562)
• New Leon (1579)
• New Mexico (1598)
• Coahuila (1687)
• Texas (1718)
• Sinaloa (1734)
• New Santander (1746)
• California (1767).

The Spanish presence on the North American Continent extended from the East Coast to the Pacific as far North in the Pacific as Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island in what is now British Columbia.