Spanish colonizers were explorers and settlers from Spain who established colonies in the Americas during the 15th to 17th centuries. They sought new trade routes, wealth, and land, driven by the desire for resources like gold and silver. Notable figures among them included Christopher Columbus, who made the first voyage to the New World in 1492, and Hernán Cortés, who conquered the Aztec Empire. The colonization process often involved the establishment of missions, towns, and plantations. Spanish colonizers imposed their language, culture, and religion, particularly Catholicism, on indigenous populations. This led to significant cultural exchanges but also resulted in the decline of many native societies due to disease and conflict.