<P> In 1768, Gálvez received the following orders: "Occupy and fortify San Diego and Monterey for God and the King of Spain ." The Spanish colonization there, with far fewer known natural resources and less cultural development than Mexico or Peru, was to combine establishing a presence for defense of the territory with a perceived responsibility to convert the indigenous people to Christianity . </P> <P> The method used to "occupy and fortify" was the established Spanish colonial system: missions (misiones, between 1769 and 1833 twenty - one missions were established) aimed at converting the indigenes to Christianity, forts (presidios, four total) to protect the missionaries, and secular municipalities (pueblos, three total). Due to the region's great distance from supplies and support in México, the system had to be largely self - sufficient . As a result, the colonial population of California remained small, widely scattered and near the coast . </P> <P> In 1776, the north - western frontier areas came under the administration of the new' Commandancy General of the Internal Provinces of the North' (Provincias Internas), designed to streamline administration and invigorate growth . The crown created two new provincial governments from the former Las Californias in 1804; the southern peninsula became Baja California, and the ill - defined northern mainland frontier area became Alta California . </P> <P> Once missions and protective presidios were established in an area, large land grants encouraged settlement and establishment of California ranchos . The Spanish system of land grants was not very successful, however, because the grants were merely royal concessions--not actual land ownership . Under later Mexican rule, land grants conveyed ownership, and were more successful at promoting settlement . </P>

New spain was founded by which of the following conquistadors