Final answer:
In colonial America, Spain assisted the Catholic Church in achieving its goal of converting people to Catholicism by establishing missions and evangelizing indigenous populations.
Step-by-step explanation:
During Spain's colonization of the Americas, one of the key objectives of the Spanish crown was the conversion of native populations to Catholicism. Catholic missionaries worked closely with colonial authorities to evangelize the Indigenous peoples, establishing missions and converting thousands. These efforts were seen as an integral part of Spain’s colonization process, reflecting the spiritual goals that went hand-in-hand with the pursuit of wealth and expansion of territory.
The Catholic Church's role in the Spanish colonies was crucial as they helped to establish a social order based on Spanish control, where the Spanish patriarchy dominated. Though wealth from gold and silver was a significant motive for Spanish colonization, the conversion to Catholicism was equally paramount, which fulfilled part of the Church's broader aim during a period marked by the Counter-Reformation and religious conflicts within Europe.