How did spanish settlers affect society in the new world?

The Spanish were conquerors who found an empire with lots of GOLD laying around that was being guarded by people who were not as advanced as they were. It was easy work for the Spaniards to take the gold away...and totally ruin prior civilizations wherever they went. Of course, they had help: smallpox was with them and the Indians had no resistance to the pox. Thousands died, making conquest fairly quick once the main forces were dealt with.