The Pueblo Revolt

by Robert Silverberg, Marc Simmons (Introduction)

The peaceable Pueblo Indians seemed an unlikely people to rise emphatically and successfully against the Spanish Empire. For eighty-two years the Pueblos had lived under Spanish domination in the northern part of present-day New Mexico. The Spanish administration had been led not by Coronado’s earlier vision of god but by a desire to convert the Indians to Christianity and eke a living from the country north of Mexico. The situation made conflict inevitable, with devastating results. Robert Silverberg "While the missionaries flogged and even hanged the Indians to save their souls, the civil authorities enslaved them, plundered the wealth of their cornfields, forced them to abide by incomprehensible Spanish laws." A long drought beginning in the 1660s and the accelerated raids of nomadic tribes contributed to the spontaneous revolt to the Pueblos in August 1680.How the Pueblos maintained their independence for a dozen years in plain view of the ambitious Spaniards and how they finally expelled the Spanish is the exciting story of The Pueblo Revolt. Robert Silverberg’s descriptions yield a rich picture of the Pueblo culture.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Native American

218 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1994

About the author

There are many authors in the database with this name.

Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.

Reviews

[David Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Silverberg's retelling of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 mostly strikes the right balance in the two areas where it needs to. In the first place, Silverberg provides the good and bad of both the indigenous Pueblos and the Spaniards who spent decades colonizing their land. While the natives tended to be less violent and the conquistadors more so, it was not this black and white. The Apaches who roamed the southwest kidnapped and sold other natives into slavery, and the Pueblos killed others unnecessarily every once in a while out of fear and confusion. Conversely, while there were Spanish governors and landowners who committed atrocities, particularly people like Juan de Onate and those who benefited from the encomienda system, certain leaders, for all their paternalism, turned to diplomacy instead of fighting.

Additionally, Silverberg strikes a good balance between the pedantic details of a slowly unfolding historical event like this one and the properties of good storytelling. He boils things down just enough to keep the pace up, but not so much as to create a completely reductive version of history. There are a few issues he glosses over, such as the Narvaez expedition—which he touches on but never names—and its influence on the subsequent golf-finding expeditions as well as Gaspar Perez de Villagra and his foundational early American poetry.

While there are a few scattered comments about the evils of colonialism and empire and a general acknowledgement that the actions of the Spanish were wrong, I still could have used some more forceful statements on this matter, but this is clearly not Silverberg's focus. Even so, it's a nice to hear about an uprising that was unexpected and unlikely even if it only lasted for a little while.

[Bob Lundquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1500s, the Spanish Empire got off to a great start. After Columbus’ discovery of the Western hemisphere, Spain got good terms from the Pope by getting almost all of South America and Central America. The Aztecs and Incans were conquered easily by the guile and technology of Cortez and Pizarro and support from Rome to convert the natives to Catholicism. Once Mexico and the South American colonies got started, though, things got tougher. Spain had little luck in North America. The establishment of the New Mexico colony was very difficult and was only kept alive by rumors of precious metals and other valuable resources. Despite this, the effort was half-hearted at best. Conquistadors in their efforts spent a lot of money, time, and lives to conquer a virtually worthless desert by 1600. Any pueblo natives conquered or converted did so only reluctantly. By the 1670s, they had enough and carefully planned a revolt over a period of years. It was finally done in 1680 and chased the Spanish colonists out of New Mexico easily. It then took at least fifteen years for the Spanish to return at great loss of life by the 1690s. It was a dirty business that was not worth it for either side.

This book is a good synopsis of this story. The writing is good with a clear chronology of events. The map does its job, but more place names mentioned in the text could have been added. It makes clear how the rivalry between the civil and religious administrations fought each other to control the pueblo peoples. This was a major factor in the revolt. The description of the major actors is excellent and gives excellent guidance for the reader. A quick and good read on a little known chapter of white/Indian affairs.

[Glenn Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A history of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and Arizona from the period before the Spanish entered their lands to soon after the Americans took control. This centers on the time period of 10 years before the Revolt to 10 years after the Spanish came back. The Pueblos were made up of numerous nationalities with there own languages, so staying as one cohesive unit was nearly impossible, however, because of the poor treatment by the Spaniards, the Pueblos did unite and were able to expel the Spaniards. Unfortunately, the leader, Pope (or Popay) did not lead the united to front to a life as they had before and instead decided to act as a Spanish Governor. This led to resentments and sadly other tribes came in a wrecked havoc-the Apaches for one attacked most of the Pueblos and killed hundreds.

When the Spaniards returned, the Spanish General did not attack, but won over the Pueblos with a change of behavior. The Pueblos also needed help fending off the Apaches, so peace and diplomacy won out.

This was a fair book, not excellent, but fair.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting topic and a good summary of the events. The way Silverberg talks about the natives, while sympathetic, came across as a bit condescending at points. I also found the style of history writing a bit dated, but this book is also fifty years old, so I guess that's more of a me problem than a problem with the book. A good starting point.

[Bradley Mork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spaniards & Indian, Who could ask for anything more.

[Stephen F]

A readable short history of a key period in the history of New Mexico. Excellent background for travelers to the region.

[Danice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided a wealth of information not just on the Pueblo Revolt, but of the bureaucratic process of Spain's North and South American colonial growth.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very worthwhile read, particularly because we have an upcoming family trip to New Mexico. I have owned it for years and am glad I finally read it!
Although there was a bit too much info in it (I really just wanted an overview), skimming the names of the various padres and governors was easy enough, and the author did a good job of telling the story.
It was interesting to me how much the way we talk about Indians has changed since the 1970's. (Yes, I do say "Indian." A friend of mine, who is one of the Sioux tribes, said that that is what is preferred--at least by her crowd--, so that is what I say.) This guy has obviously put a lot of effort into not presenting a white-man (I presume he is Caucasian) bias on the history, but, nonetheless, it has a distinctly outdated feel to it--not enough to get your hackles up, but it is definitely there.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 1 out of 5]

In 1680, the various pueblo people (redundant, but not in english)of what is now New Mexico revolted and threw out the colonizing Spainards who had controlled them for almost 100 years. The people weren't re-conquered for another twelve.

There probably exists an accurate account of this amazing event--the only time colonizers were defeated and forced out of land they had settled--but htis book isn't it. The author pretty much recounts the story through the "brave" Spainards and consistently uses negative word choices when describing the pueblos and their actions.

Silverberg, you're a dick.

[Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up while on vacation in New Mexico in 2005, after visiting a couple Native American pueblos. Pretty interesting 'micro-history' -- the stuff you never learn about in grade school and high school history, and only learn about in college in specialized history classes. As with a lot of micro-history (which tends to be about bad things that happened), it left me with a sour taste of our sometimes not-so-grand past.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent telling of the only successful Indian revolt against the Spaniards. The book reads more like a novel of high-adventure than a history book. The only problem with this book is that Silverberg doesn't cite a single source.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

good storytelling but not as compelling or well-researched as David Roberts' work on the subject.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little-known episode of history, the first American revolution in 1680.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an informative book about an incident of which I knew little. It was of interest to me since I had recently been to some of the locations where battles took place in New Mexico.