A major objective of the Spanish in the new world was gold and silver, but also the Evangelization of the indigenous people, the Guaranies. The priests of the "Jesuit Company" founded 30 towns between 1609 and 1768 in what is now Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The best preserved of these missions is St. Iganacio. This mission was established in 1696 by the Jesuits as an experiment in social engineering, for which the Guaranies were the recipients, and involved social, cultural, religious ans artistic endeavors.The Jusuits were expeled in 1767 and the mission destroyed in 1817 by the Paraguyans.