The Spanish Empire (Spanish: Imperio Español) comprised territories and colonies administered by Spain in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its political and economic power when it became the foremost global power. Its establishment in the 15th century ushered in the modern global era and five centuries of European dominance of global affairs. Spain's territorial reach beyond Europe spanned six centuries, from the first voyages to the Americas in 1492 until the independence of its last African colonies in the 1970s.

After the War of the Castilian Succession (1475–1479), Spain had emerged with a personally unified monarchy, with the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs or los Reyes Catolicos between the Queen of Castile and the King of Aragon: the internal and foreign policy was coordinated although the rule was separate. In 1492, the Spanish monarchs completed the Reconquista with the incorporation of Granada to the Kingdom of Castile. That same year Christopher Columbus commanded the first Spanish exploratory voyage west across the Atlantic Ocean, leading to the Discovery of America and Europe's eventual colonial engagement in the New World. The Americas thereby became the focus of Spanish exploration and colonization.

Andrew Adrian Garcia (born October 18, 1985) is an American singer from Moreno Valley, California who was the ninth place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.

Garcia was born to Mexican parents. He also has an older brother. Garcia's fiancée, Christine Concepcion, is a popular artist on YouTube. Garcia has a son, Caeland, with her. Garcia has a tattoo of his son's name on the right side of his neck, a tattoo of an "A" on his wrist, a rose on his front left arm, and a pair of Christine's lips in red on the left side of his neck.

Garcia auditioned for the ninth season in Pasadena, California. He sang "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5 and was praised by all the judges, notably Simon Cowell, who called him a "genuinely good singer," as well as guest judge Katy Perry. He later appeared in Hollywood, where he sang Paula Abdul's song "Straight Up" and since has been particularly known for that performance.

He performed "Sugar, We’re Going Down", but according to the judges, did not come up to par with the musicality of "Straight Up", resulting in all four judges calling it "strange" commenting on his past "Straight Up" and urging him to return to the originality of the performance. Lee Dewyze and Andrew have become best friends over the show as told by Lee in his performance of Hey Jude