Enabling: the Behavior of an Enabler. Enable has a number of senses, most of which are some variant on allowing someone (or something, such as enabling cookies on a computer) to do something.
The assertion of royal control over the Kingdom of New Spain and the initial Spanish conquerors took over a decade, with importance of the region meriting the creation of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Established by Charles V in 1535, the first viceroy was Don Antonio de Mendoza.
By defeating Spain, the USA gained two things: 1) it kicked out a European power from its doorstep, so to speak, (i.e., Cuba) making it the dominant power in North America; and 2) it gained an outpost in the Western Pacific by annexing the Philippines.