The attitude toward religious practice was most directly apparent in the Spanish Crown’s efforts to spread Christianity and convert indigenous peoples to Catholicism in the Americas during the period circa 1500-1750.

The source states that one of the twin aims of Spanish colonization was “the conversion of new peoples to Christianity.” It mentions that “the Council of the Indies tried to balance the twin aims of colonization: wealth acquisition and the conversion of new peoples to Christianity.”

This indicates that spreading the Catholic faith and converting native populations was a key policy and motivation behind Spain’s colonial expansion in the Americas from the 16th to 18th centuries.

This religious zeal is further evidenced by the source’s mention of the “spiritual conquest” alongside the military conquest, with the aim of converting indigenous peoples to the Catholic faith.

The source highlights the Crown’s directive that “local peoples should be protected or, at least, not over-exploited to the point of starvation and death,”4 suggesting a degree of paternalistic religious motivation in addition to economic interests.

In summary, Spain’s attitude of actively promoting Catholicism and religious conversion among native American populations was most directly reflected in its policies and efforts toward the spiritual conquest and evangelization of indigenous peoples across its American colonies during the 1500-1750 period.