1. Spain was the first European power to establish a permanent presence in the Americas. Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, and by the early 16th century, Spain had established a number of colonies in the region, including Mexico, Peru, and Colombia.
2. Spain had a strong military and navy. This allowed it to defeat the indigenous peoples of the Americas and to defend its colonies from other European powers.
3. Spain was a Catholic country, and it used religion to justify its conquest of the Americas. The Spanish believed that they had a duty to spread Catholicism to the New World, and they often used force to convert the indigenous peoples.
4. Spain had a strong economy. This allowed it to finance its exploration and colonization of the Americas.
As a result of these factors, Spain was able to control a vast empire in the New World that lasted for over 300 years.