2.2 Spanish colonial period and the establishment of missions and settlements

The Spanish colonial period in New Mexico began with Juan de Oñate's 1598 expedition. Oñate established the first European settlement, San Juan de los Caballeros, marking the start of Spanish control through missions, presidios, and civilian settlements.

Spanish colonizers introduced new crops, livestock, and farming techniques to New Mexico. They also implemented the encomienda system, granting rights to extract labor from indigenous people. This period saw the rise of major settlements like Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Spanish Colonization of New Mexico

Juan de Oñate's Expedition and the Establishment of San Juan de los Caballeros

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• Spanish colonization of New Mexico began in 1598 with the expedition led by Juan de Oñate
• Oñate established the first permanent European settlement in the region at San Juan de los Caballeros

The Encomienda System and Spanish Control

• The Spanish Crown granted encomiendas to colonists
  • Encomiendas were rights to extract labor and tribute from indigenous populations in exchange for providing protection and religious instruction
• The Spanish established a system of missions, presidios (military forts), and civilian settlements throughout New Mexico
  • This system maintained control over the territory and its native inhabitants
• Major Spanish settlements in New Mexico included Santa Fe (established in 1610 as the capital), Albuquerque, Taos, and Las Vegas

Introduction of New Agricultural Practices and Colonial Governance

• Spanish colonists introduced new crops, livestock, and agricultural techniques to the region
  • New crops included wheat
  • Livestock included sheep
  • New techniques included irrigation systems
• The Spanish colonial government was headed by a governor appointed by the Viceroy of New Spain
  • The governor was responsible for administering the territory and overseeing the mission system

Missions in Spanish Colonial New Mexico

The Role of Missions in Conversion and Integration

• Missions were religious institutions established by Spanish Franciscan friars
  • Missions aimed to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity and integrate them into the Spanish colonial system
• The mission system in New Mexico was centered around the Pueblo villages
  • Friars established churches and schools in Pueblo villages to teach Christianity and European culture to the native population

Missions as Centers of Agricultural Production and Cultural Assimilation

• Missions served as centers of agricultural production
  • Native labor was used to cultivate crops and raise livestock for the benefit of the Spanish colonists and the mission itself
• Missions also served as a means of cultural assimilation
  • Pueblo children were often removed from their families and raised in mission schools
  • In these schools, children were taught Spanish language and customs

The Impact of the Mission System on Pueblo Culture and Society

• The mission system had a significant impact on Pueblo culture and society
  • It disrupted traditional religious practices, social structures, and economic activities
• The demands of the mission system contributed to growing tensions between the Pueblo peoples and Spanish colonizers
  • Forced labor and the suppression of traditional practices were major factors
  • These tensions ultimately led to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680

Spanish Colonial Society in New Mexico

Social Hierarchy and the Encomienda System

• Spanish colonial society in New Mexico was hierarchical
  • Spanish-born peninsulares were at the top, followed by American-born criollos, mestizos (people of mixed Spanish and indigenous ancestry), and indigenous peoples at the bottom
• The encomienda system granted Spanish colonists control over indigenous labor and tribute
  • This created a form of forced labor and economic exploitation

The Hacienda System and the Role of the Catholic Church

• The Spanish introduced the hacienda system
  • Haciendas were large estates owned by wealthy Spanish colonists
  • These estates were worked by indigenous laborers and enslaved Africans
• The Catholic Church played a significant role in colonial New Mexico
  • Missions and churches served as centers of religious and cultural life

Colonial Governance and Trade Regulations

• The Spanish colonial government was headed by a governor appointed by the Viceroy of New Spain
  • The governor was responsible for administering the territory, overseeing the mission system, and maintaining relations with indigenous peoples
• Trade and commerce in colonial New Mexico were regulated by the Spanish Crown
  • The colony served as a source of raw materials and a market for finished goods from New Spain

Spanish vs Indigenous Interactions in New Mexico

Cooperation, Accommodation, and Conflict

• The relationship between Spanish colonizers and indigenous peoples in New Mexico was characterized by a complex mix of cooperation, accommodation, and conflict
• Spanish colonizers relied on indigenous labor and knowledge to establish and maintain their settlements, missions, and haciendas in the region

The Impact of Disease and Colonial Systems on Indigenous Populations

• The Spanish introduced new diseases, such as smallpox and measles
  • These diseases devastated indigenous populations and disrupted traditional social and economic structures
• The Spanish colonial system, including the encomienda and mission systems, imposed significant hardships on indigenous peoples
  • Hardships included forced labor, cultural assimilation, and the suppression of traditional practices

Indigenous Resistance and the Pueblo Revolt of 1680

• Indigenous resistance to Spanish colonization took various forms
  • Armed rebellions (such as the Pueblo Revolt of 1680), flight from Spanish-controlled areas, and the maintenance of traditional cultural practices in secret
• The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was a major uprising of Pueblo peoples against Spanish rule
  • The revolt resulted in the temporary expulsion of the Spanish from New Mexico and the reassertion of Pueblo autonomy and cultural practices
• The Spanish reconquest of New Mexico in the 1690s led to increased militarization and repression of indigenous peoples
  • The Spanish also made efforts to re-establish the mission system and Spanish colonial control over the region