Mapping the Spanish Empire: From Exploration to Peak

From the first voyage of Columbus in 1492 to the peak of the Viceroyalties in the 18th century, the Spanish Empire was a global phenomenon. For creators and historians mapping this era, Mapimator’s 3D engine is the perfect tool to show the scale of maritime connection.

The Global Reach: Air and Sea

Because the empire spanned the Atlantic and Pacific, you need a world view.

1. Open the Style Selector and toggle Globe Projection ON.
2. Use the Route Tool to draw the historic transatlantic paths from Seville and Cadiz to Veracruz and Cartagena.
3. Set the Animation Type to Draw to show the expedition’s progress.

Highlighting the Viceroyalties

The Magic Wand allows you to select modern countries that were historically part of the empire:

• New Spain: Select Mexico, Florida, and the Philippines.
• Peru: Select the Andean regions of South America.
• Color Coding: Choose a regal Yellow or Red to represent the Spanish flag. Set the Fill Opacity to 0.4 to keep the terrain visible.

Capturing the Journey

Use your Storyboard to create a historical timeline.

1. Slide 1 (Exploration): Focus on the Caribbean.
2. Slide 2 (Expansion): Zoom out to show the whole of South America and the Philippines.
3. Slide 3 (peak): Focus on the global trade routes, including the Manila Galleons.

Before you export your historical documentary map, ensure you professional rendering engine so that the high-resolution coastlines and 3D terrain look as epic as the history they represent.