Bless Me, Ultima | Historical Context

Bless Me, Ultima Historical Context

New Mexico

New Mexico was a Spanish colony from 1595 to 1821. When the Spanish explored the region, they found permanent communities (as opposed to nomadic tribes) along the Rio Grande; they called these pueblos after the small villages in southern Spain. They discovered that many of the plants and animals from their homeland could survive in the region—cattle, horses, sheep, goats, chickens, and pigs were among the animals they brought. They also introduced grains such as wheat and barley, fruit including apples, pears, peaches, and melons, as well as vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, and chiles.

The Spanish found that there was little gold or other precious metals in the region, so the primary purpose of colonizing the area became the religious conversion of the native people. The Pueblo Indians were enlisted to build mission churches in each of the villages. However, the Indians resented the church's suppression of their native...
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