Final answer:
The Spanish hoped the missions would become centers for spreading Christianity and integrating the natives into Spanish society, but they faced resistance and challenges. This occurred in areas like Mexico, California, and Texas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spanish hoped that the missions would become centers for spreading Christianity and integrating the native populations into Spanish society. They wanted to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism and establish Spanish control over the territories in the Americas. However, the missions did not fully achieve these goals as Spain had envisioned them.
Although the Spanish missionaries and colonists were successful in converting some Native Americans to Catholicism and establishing mission settlements, they faced resistance and challenges from the native populations. The natives often resisted the Spanish attempts to impose their religion and culture on them. The missions also faced challenges from diseases and sometimes had to deal with conflicts with the indigenous peoples.
This occurred primarily in areas such as present-day Mexico and the southwestern United States, including places like New Spain (modern-day Mexico), California, and Texas.