Camino Real de Tierra Adentro: Expansion and consolidation of Spanish colonial rule

The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (CRTA) played a pivotal role in the expansion and consolidation of Spanish colonial rule in Nueva España. This historic route facilitated the migration of Spanish settlers, who established farms, ranches, mines, fortifications, and mission camps while simultaneously spreading Catholicism and Spanish culture. The CRTA also served as a critical administrative and defensive corridor, extending colonial authority from Mesoamerica to the northern frontier and mitigating territorial competition among European powers. By analyzing historical records and archaeological evidence, the study demonstrates how this path became instrumental in integrating the northern regions into Nueva España's political and cultural framework.

Lim, S. (2023). Camino Real de Tierra Adentro: Expansion and consolidation of Spanish colonial rule. Estudios Hispánicos, 108, 303–326. https://doi.org/10.21811/eh.108.303