New Mexico Case Study

In the early to mid 15th century the Spanish started to make large headway into North America. Shortly after Hernan Cortés conquered the Aztecs in Mexico, a small group of withered explorers headed by Alvar núñez cabeza de vaca shipwrecked off the coast of Texas. After enduring many illnesses and attacks his force was reduced from 300 to only about 90 men. For the next four years de vaca and his crew barely warded off extinction by trading with indians located in texas, however, illness and attacks from indian tribes cause their numbers to dwindle to the point where only de vaca and three others remained.

The four survivors trekked from Texas through New Mexico and Arizona, staying with numerous tribes and witnessing great cities of wealth. After residing with the Avatars tribe for eight months the group decided to move south-west to reach New Spain and avoid some tribes with a distaste for

The operation was deemed unsuccessful and with nothing to show for his conquests the group split and went upon their own personal agendas, some venturing to the Grand canyon and others venturing ti the Colorado Plateau. Pods of the group started to explore the Colorado Plateau more vigorously and stated to claim many plots of land for themselves, despite being part of indigenous tribes’ territory. The destruction and disrespect of the Spaniards didn’t settle well with the tribes and that paired with their conflicting ways of life eventually caused a great deal of turmoil between them. Although the tribes were originally respectably cooperative with the Spaniards the large amount of native deaths from European disease eventually caused tribes such as the Apache and Navajo started raiding Spanish encampments in an attempt to drive them and their diseases away from their