The Pueblo Revolt of 1680: Conquest and Resistance in Seventeenth-Century New Mexico [Paperback]

Andrew L. Knaut (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0806129921 | ISBN-13: 978-0806129921

In August 1680 the Pueblo Indians of northern New Mexico arose in fury to slay their Spanish colonial overlords and drive any survivors from the land. Andrew Knaut explores eight decades of New Mexican history leading up to the revolt, explaining how the newcomers had disrupted Pueblo life in far-reaching ways - they commandeered the Indians’ food stores, exposed the Pueblos to new diseases, interrupted long-established trading relationships, and sparked increasing raids by surrounding Athapaskan nomads. The Pueblo Indians’ violent success stemmed from an almost unprecedented unity of disparate factions and sophistication of planning in secrecy. When Spanish forces retook the colony in the 1690s, freedom proved short-lived. But the revolt stands as a vitally important yet neglected historical landmark: the only significant reversal of European expansion by Native American people in the New World.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andrew Knaut holds the doctorate in history from Duke University. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 is his first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (September 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806129921
• ISBN-13: 978-0806129921
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #760,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the few temporary sucess for the Indians......, January 11, 2005

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pueblo Revolt of 1680: Conquest and Resistance in Seventeenth-Century New Mexico (Paperback)

A very interesting book on a rare event where the Indians actually drove out their white conquerors from a long established colony. In 1680, the Pueblo Indians of northern New Mexico rose up in massive revolt against their Spanish overlords and managed for a short time, to regained their independence from colonial rule. This revolt came after nearly four generations of colonial rule where continued Spanish misrule generated this revolt.

The book proves to be well written and researched as the author explained how this revolt came to be. According to the author, much of for the revolt had to do with the following factors. Rejection of Christianity, economic dependency on the white, inter-racial marriages between whites and Indians and how that reflects on the fact that small numbers of Europeans were controlling larger numbers of Indians. In four generations, many of the Spanish colonialists have intermarried with the local Indians, blurring the racial lines. White intimidation fades as the conqerors and the conquered blended in.

The book proves to be a short read but it turned out to be very informative and rather an eye-opener. Spanish did managed to reconquered New Mexico once more in the 1690s, never again were the Indians sucessful in pushing out their European overlords which have been in place for generations. (It would be like if the 1862 Dakota Indian Revolt in Minnesota were successful!) The book come highly recommended for those interested in western colonial history.

4.0 out of 5 stars SPANISH BORERLANDS-1513-1821, May 12, 2011

By 

Kay's Husband (Virginia, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: The Pueblo Revolt of 1680: Conquest and Resistance in Seventeenth-Century New Mexico (Hardcover)

This book concerns a topic of the Spanish Borderlands settlement from a period of the mid 1500's on to the year 1680, year of the revolt by the Pueblo peoples. The author gives his best effort to present some history both before and after this revolt.

The area covered in this study is pretty much New Mexico where by the year 1601 there were approximately 250 settlers, while the indignant tribes numbered in the thousands. Most of the settlers did not reside within the Pueblos. All the settlements were completely ringed by Indians (Jicarilla, Mesacalero, Chiricahua, and Navajo) and suffered from both raiding parties to war parties. The settlements were desired by higher authorities in both of the power centers of that time: Mexico City and Madrid. The reasons included a desire for added wealth for the king and empire, a desire to convert the native tribes to Catholicism, and the looking for a South Sea harbor to the west, among others. These settlements were at best "unfortunate" colonies containing very dissatisfied settlers.

The reasons why the Spanish desired to settle New Mexico have been stated above, however, this is what the settlers found: Scant resources, sandy land lacking both wood and water, no pastures, land both colder and hotter than they were used to, few minerals, and no gold or silver. Many settlers arrived poor expecting to better their condition but remained even poorer after years of settlement. Just feeding and clothing oneself was a challenge. Near impossible to rely on Pueblo for help as the native peoples had the similar problems obtaining food and clothing.

Even by 1607 the governor and captain general at San Juan guessed the number of Christian converts at no more than 600 people, and that was probably a generous estimate. Most Indians, especially due to the Spanish heavy handed mistreatment, 'scorned' baptism and remained increasingly hostile. The Spaniards were always outnumbered and the eventual hostility of the Pueblos not only worked against them but increasingly led to massacres and the final revolt.

As one reviewer stated, possibly other books are equally well worth reading, yet this book is written well and assembled in a manner that allows a serious reader to come away with an understanding of the factors behind this revolt by the Pueblos in the year 1680.

Recommended for the interested Spanish Borderland readers concerned with the history of New Mexico that eventually led to the revolt of 1680 chasing the hated Spanish overseers out for many years.

Semper Fi.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly written, not informative, September 8, 2008

By 

Chemical Orphan - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pueblo Revolt of 1680: Conquest and Resistance in Seventeenth-Century New Mexico (Paperback)

This book was a real disappointment. I do not recommend it to anyone interested in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. There are much better books on the subject available: The Pueblo Revolt : The Secret Rebellion That Drove the Spaniards Out of the Southwest, The Pueblo Revolt (Bison Book), and Po'pay: Leader of the First American Revolution.

Check out the above titles and skip this one.