How did the Spanish plan to protect their colonies in the New World?

The Spanish planned to protect their New World colonies by imposing strict guidelines to safeguard their investments.

The Spanish colonies in the new world were guided by immovable, strict laws.

Every decision made by a colonist or landowner in the colony was based on clear instructions coming from the top of the hierarchy pyramid, back in Spain.

These laws dictated exactly how to live colonial life: Which crops could be planted, how to treat slaves, who the colonists could trade with, where and how they could build cities, etc.

The Spanish hoped that by doing this, they could prevent the colonists from feeling independent, which could cause them to revolt and establish their own government, (because they were already used to being independent). If the colonists had to rely on and obey the leadership back in Spain, they wouldn’t know how to run their own country and so Spain would retain its investment.

However, this treatment was a partial cause of the colonies’ eventual rebellion and independence- they wanted to chart their own course. Other reasons include being angered at the lack of representation the natives (children and descendants of first-generation colonists) had in the government, and other rebellions that had taken place worldwide.

The Spanish plan to protect its colonies from rebellion by imposing strict guidelines backfired on itself.