Analysis Of Two Documents example essay topic

441 words
Critical Analysis of Two Primary Documents: The Pueblo Revolt of the 1680's was a mutiny which claimed the lives of many Spanish colonizers. It is said to have taken place in order for the Indians to gain independence from the tyranny and harsh maltreatment they suffered as a result of the Spaniards rule of their lives. The analysis of two documents directly related to that uprising will give valuable insight to the events that actually occurred. It is imperative for one to remember both documents were written by the Spanish government. One of the sources is a letter written to Father Francisco de Aye ta by Governor Don Antonio de Otermin of the New Mexico territory on September 8, 1680, directly following the revolt. The second is the testimony of Pedro Naranjo, an elderly Indian tribesman who returned to the Spanish after the revolt, possibly to escape with a minor sentence for his element of involvement in the alleged sedition, or truly in repentance for his belief that God was angry with him for dancing the idolatrous dances for the blessing of the pagan gods.

Otermin's letter was painstakingly written and contained overly apologetic tones in which he clearly and scrupulously describes his part in trying to protect the colonials from the Indians wrath. In addition, the governor attempted to encourage the father into believing that he had sent the reports of the planned disturbance to the lieutenant-general, but had received none due to the Indians intercepting the message; and prior attempts at notifying them of the impending calamity were not taken seriously. According to the other document, which is Naranjo's testimony, it appears the unrest occurred because the Pueblos did not like the way in which the Spaniards demanded their conversion to Catholicism; and the cruelty they suffered when caught practicing their ancestral religion and planning prior insurrections. Naranjo stated he was repentant for the worship of other gods and feared he had made God angry. After close scrutiny of these two documents, it appears that the upheaval occurred due to the deprivation and oppression that the Pueblos suffered at the hands of the Spaniards. The high casualty rate and the monumental size of the uprising can be attributed to the lack of consideration and care given to prior riot attempts in which several tribe members were hanged.

Another possible reason for the activities was due to the leader Pope's threat of death to anyone who sympathized with the Spaniards or their way of life. Perhaps the other tribe members rebelled due to fear of Pope's wrath.