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Popé
The culture of a group of people is something that is highly valued. When that culture is threatened, groups often fight to maintain the life they built together. Sometimes, one person rises above to lead that fight. For the Pueblo in the late 1600s, that leader was a man named Popě.
Spanish Rule
Spanish colonization of the southwestern United States began in 1540. The native Pueblo tribes living there were greatly affected. Many Pueblo men and women were placed into slavery. Others who tried to resist were executed.
In 1675, Spanish leaders began to shut down the religious practices of the Pueblo. One focus of Spanish colonization was the spread of Christianity. The Spanish felt Pueblo religious practices were a threat to that.
Many Pueblo individuals were punished for practicing what the Spanish considered witchcraft. One of those individuals was Popé.
Popé's Plan
Popé had always opposed Spanish rule. At this point, he decided a change was needed. Popé was a religious leader, so he had some influence. He used this influence in meetings with other Pueblo leaders.
Popé also believed that he was being guided to restore Pueblo customs by a tribal spirit. The other leaders believed this, too.
Pope's plan was an all-out assault on the Spanish and their influence. He wanted a complete return to the Pueblo religion and way of life. His plan was bold but widely embraced.
The Pueblo Revolt
On August 10, 1680, Popé launched his plan with an uprising at more than two dozen Indian settlements. It was a massive success because Popé had the numbers on his side. More than 8,000 Pueblo warriors were battling against fewer than 200 armed colonists. During this revolt, over 400 Spaniards were killed.
The survivors fled to the Governor's Palace at Santa Fe. 2,500 Pueblo warriors were there waiting for them. After ten days of fighting, the Spanish retreated from New Mexico to El Paso. Many of the Pueblo people watched this retreat occur, happy to have their homeland back.
The Aftermath
Popé was not satisfied with simply having the Spanish out of New Mexico. His plan was not complete. There was too much Spanish influence around him.
Popé ordered the destruction of anything based in Christianity. From small artifacts to churches, the Pueblos rid the landscape of everything Christian. This practice continued with other elements of Spanish influence.
Popé's Power
One part of Spanish influence that did remain was the political system. Popé essentially proclaimed himself leader of the Pueblos. He collected taxes from Pueblo communities. He even lived in the Governor's Palace.
This power-hungry attitude was not welcome by all Pueblos. In fact, this attitude partly led to his removal as leader for a time. Other factors, such as drought, played a part as well. Still, Popé was reelected in 1688 and remained the Pueblo leader until his death in 1692.
The Spanish Reestablish Control
Popé's influence remained even after the Spanish took back New Mexico. There were fewer demands on the Pueblos. The Spanish were less interested in changing the Pueblo way of life. Popé may still have disapproved, but this combination of Spanish and Indian culture is what mush of the Southwest is still known for today.
After reading answer the question, Why was Pope successful in his revolt against the Spanish military? What actions did Pope take after the Spanish retreated in an effort to restore Pueblo culture? Answer in 2-3 sentences