Light

Authority

Definition

Authority refers to having power or control over others, often granted by a higher governing body. In this context, it pertains to the power bestowed upon conquistadors by Spain's policy to govern and make decisions in conquered territories.

Analogy

Think of authority as a police officer's badge - it symbolizes their power and ability to enforce laws within their jurisdiction. Similarly, conquistadors were given authority badges by Spain's policy, granting them legal control over conquered lands and peoples.

Related terms

Governance: Governance refers to the way in which societies or organizations are managed and regulated. Conquistadors exercised governance through their authority over conquered territories.

Power: Power is the ability or capacity to influence others' behavior or decisions. The authority granted to conquistadors gave them significant power over conquered lands and peoples.

Hierarchy: Hierarchy is a system of organizing people or groups into different levels of importance or status. The authority granted to conquistadors placed them at higher levels within the social hierarchy of colonial societies.