Spanish Influence When the Spaniards came to settle the New World, or what is now Mexico and Peru, they imposed many new ways and customs for the people living there. These institutions were partially what the Spaniards were used to from living in Spain, and others were simply to live better. The Spaniards imposed many political, economical, and social institutions in the New World never heard of before by the Indians, and many feudal customs and systems that they brought wholly intact from Spain. The political institutions were very important for government functionality in the Spanish colonies. First, a class system similar to that in Spain was reconstructed anew in the colo