Northern Outposts: St. Augustine and New Mexico

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the notes on early Spanish northern outposts, including St. Augustine, Oñate, encomienda, Santa Fe, Pueblo relations, and the Pueblo Revolt.

St. Augustine (1565)

First permanent European settlement in what is now the United States; a Spanish fort in Florida that served as a military outpost and administrative center for Franciscan missions.

Oñate expedition (1598)

Led by Don Juan de Oñate from Mexico with about 500 men; claimed Pueblo lands and established a New Mexico colony modeled on southern Spanish colonies; introduced the encomienda system.

Encomienda

License granted to settlers to exact labor and tribute from Indigenous peoples in specific areas; a labor/tribute system first used in Spain.

Santa Fe (1609)

Founded as the capital of the New Mexico colony.

Oñate’s removal as governor (1606)

Oñate was removed due to harsh treatment of Native Americans and instability in the new colony.

Pueblos

Native American peoples of the southwestern United States who interacted with the Spanish; many converted to Christianity and formed trading relationships; about 30,000 lived in the region by 1680.

New Mexico colony

Spanish settlement in the Southwest; by 1680 about 2,000 Spanish colonists lived among roughly 30,000 Pueblos; economy based on ranching (cattle and sheep).

Ranchos

Large cattle and sheep ranches surrounding small towns; formed the economic backbone of the New Mexico colony.

Pueblo Revolt of 1680

Uprising by Pueblo peoples against Spanish rule; driven by suppression of tribal rituals and colonial policies; nearly destroyed the colony.

Apache and Navajo raids

Threats from neighboring Indigenous groups that attacked Spanish and Pueblo settlements, keeping the colony precarious.

Cattle and sheep economy

The economic heart of the New Mexico colony, based on ranching rather than precious metals.