What effect did the Spanish have on the American Indians?

The Spanish had an impact on the American Indians. The Spanish first came into contact with the Native Americans when they arrived in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean area. They enslaved the Native Americans and exploited their lands. They took many minerals from the lands on which the Native Americans lived. Gold and silver were mined and sent to Europe.
Eventually, the Spanish moved into North America, especially into the southwestern and the southeastern parts of the United States. They converted some of the Native Americans to Christianity. However, many of the Native American tribes kept their own religions and religious practices. They also brought diseases with them that led to the deaths of many Native Americans throughout the Americas. In some places, the Spanish also established forts.
Generally, the Spanish interaction with the Native Americans, including the American Indians, was not a positive one.
http://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/745