Early Insurgencies
Questions to consider What did you learn from Jones that was omitted from your earlier education about this period of history? In your opinion, why do history books portray colonialist explorers as heroes and Amerindians as violent obstructionists? Who benefits from the promotion of a limited telling of historical occurrences?
Queries that define our understanding of Jones, Chapter 2 What might we learn from the first conflicts among Amerindians and colonists? What guiding principles were the foundation of the participants’ values, thinking, behaviors, practices? How were the outcomes influenced by faulty observations and assessments? What lessons derived from this history can be applied to 21 st century analysis of social conditions?
Let’s look at the case of Juan de Oñate Born 1550 in Zacatecas, Mexico Married Isabel Cortés Moctezuma By 1570s, he was a military leader who waged campaigns against the Chichimec Indians Seeking silver in the surrounding areas
Oñate marches north In 1595 Oñate was sent by King Philip II of Spain to “settle” New Mexico Mission began in 1598 and Oñate declared the lands Spanish territory named Nuevo Mexico It was here where his military party of about people encountered the Pueblo Indians
About the Pueblo Indians Pueblo is Spanish for “one who lives in stone buildings” Ancestors were the Anasazi, Navajo for “ancient ones” History that traces back 7,000 years Anasazi moved from being nomads to establishing fixed dwellings
Cultural characteristics of Anasazi Adobe dwellings, cliffs Villages had common areas for public events Pottery making for cookware and storage Participated in astronomical observation Developed road systems that lead to natural resources
Anasazi people maintained a matrilocal culture Married couples lived with or near the parents/family of the wife When children are born, they are members of the wife’s clan Children are named by the parents, but the names are provided by the women of the father’s clan On the 20 th day of an infant’s life, the women gather bearing a name and a gift Sometimes three and four generations lived in close proximity Men and women might live in separate quarters Women had the right to divorce their husbands by leaving their belongings outside the home Women served as leaders within the tribe
Conflict was certain Oñate was unable to mine much silver for King One of his captains was accused of theft and rape by the Acoma tribe The Acomas killed the captain A three day battle took place with hundreds of Acoma dead and many more severely injured Oñate punished the Acoma in the following ways… Men over 25 had one foot cut off and were enslaved for 20 years Boys between 12 and 25 were enslaved for 20 years Women over the age of 12 were enslaved for 20 years 60 girls were sent away to Mexico, never to be seen again Two Hopis who happened to be in the area had their right hands cut off, and were set free to tell the story
Aftermath Oñate continued his explorations There was no precious metals It was difficult terrain Indians continued to resist colonization The outpost was abandoned In 1606, Oñate was summoned by the King to Spain In 1613, Oñate was fined, banished from the territory we know as New Mexico He died in Spain in 1626 working as a mining inspector.
A contemporary controversy Artist proposes largest bronze statue ever created Public art in El Paso, Texas Created with $1 million of public money Installed outside of El Paso airport Controversy became internationally known What do you believe should have happened?