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| b. Expansion to the South |
| 1522–24 |
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| Cristóbal de Olid subdued Colima and part of Jalisco. Spaniards settled in Michoacán, territory of the Tarascans, who allied with Cortés. Alvarado subdued Tehuantepec. | 1 |
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| 1523–25 |
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| Alvarado conquered the Quiché and Cakchiquel and founded Guatemala City (1524). He extended the conquest into Salvador and became governor of the general district of Guatemala. Expeditions from New Spain subdued Chiapas (1523–28). | 2 |
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| 1524–26 |
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| Cortés sent Olid to conquer and settle Honduras. Olid rejected Cortés's authority but failed, and Cortés's lieutenant killed him. Cortés led an expedition to Honduras to establish his authority and founded Trujillo (1524), thereupon returning to Mexico. | 3 |
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| 1526–36 |
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| Internecine strife in Honduras prevailed. Alvarado as governor founded San Pedro and dispatched an expedition to found Gracias a Dios, but he departed for Spain without definitively gaining control of the area (1536). | 4 |
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| 1527–35 |
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| Adelantado Francisco Montejo failed in his attempt to conquer Yucatán. After eight years of effort, he was appointed governor of Honduras. He subdued Tabasco (1529–40). | 5 |
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| 1537–44 |
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| Governor Montejo conclusively subjugated Higueras, in Honduras, and founded Comayagua (1537). Alvarado returned and again became governor. | 6 |
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| 1542–44 |
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| Establishment of the audiencia of Confines, with jurisdiction over Chiapas, Yucatán (from 1549 to 1560), and Guatemala. | 7 |
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| 1544 |
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| Gaspar and Melchor Pacheco finally conquered and colonized the area. Founding of Valladolid and Salamanca de Bacalar. The area of Petén remained unconquered until the close of the 17th century. | 8 |
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| 1546 |
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| Led by their native priests, Maya revolted against encomiendas in eastern Yucatán. | 9 |
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