What were the goals of Spanish colonizers?

• A. They wanted gold and to convert thousands of people to Catholicism. They wanted dominance.
• B. They aimed to establish a fishing empire.
• C. They sought to spread Protestantism.
• D. They planned to build a railway network.

Answer: (A)

Wealth and religious expansion drove Spanish colonization. The primary aim was to extract gold and other riches to enrich the Spanish crown and fund its empire, while also spreading Catholicism by establishing missions and converting Indigenous peoples. This religious effort was not just about faith; it supported political control—conquered lands were organized to secure resources and project power over colonies. That combination of economic gain, religious mission, and political dominance best captures what Spanish colonizers pursued.

The other options don’t fit the historical pattern. The Spanish weren’t aiming to build a fishing empire, they were Catholic rather than Protestant, and railways were not a feature of early colonial goals.