August 21 1680 – Av 26 5440
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Pueblo People of Santa Fe de Nuevo México killed more than 400 Spanish settlers and drove out another 2,000 from their villages in current-day New Mexico in the USA. After more than a hundred years of oppression and exploitation by Spanish missionaries, soldiers and settlers, the indeginious peoples of the Santa Fe area rose against the newcomers in order to save their heritage and lands. Two weeks earlier, the rebellion against the Spaniards began, led by a native Pueblo leader named Pope. After taking over almost 20 settlements, the Pueblo Peoples’ forces drove out the New Mexico Governor and his remaining soldiers from the fort at Santa Fe. The Spaniards retreated southward along the Rio Grande, headed for El Paso del Norte.
The Pueblos’ alliance did not survive long, and in August 1692, Diego de Vargas marched to Santa Fe unopposed with only 60 Spanish soldiers and some auxileries, to complete the Reconquista of the area. But the priests and missionaries no longer tried to convert the locals.
Today, some 35,000 Pueblo are estimated to live in New Mexico and Arizona.