Juan De Onate Research Paper
Juan De Onate
In 1549 a baby named Juan de Onate was born. He was born in Zacatecas, New Spain (Mexico). His father’s name was Cristobal De Onate; his father was a conquistador/silver baron. Juan’s mother was Dona Catalina Salazar. They were silver mine owners, and Spanish-Basque colonists. He grew up dreaming of conquering the region north of New Spain.
Juan de Onate first career was as an Indian fighter. He was an Indian fighter in the Northern Frontier region of New Spain. Juan de Onate then married Isabel de Tolosa de Moctezuma. She was the granddaughter of Hernan Cortes. When he grew older he started an expedition. In 1595 King Philip ІІ ordered Juan De Onate to conquer the upper part of the Rio Grande Valley. His expedition started
in 1598. He crossed the Rio Grande at El Paso in 1598 as-well. Juan De Onate and the Chama named the area New Mexico. On April 30, 1598 Juan de Onate claimed all of New Mexico beyond the river of Spain. October of 1598 came and a battle erupted when Onate’s occupying Spanish military demanded supplies from the Acoma tribe. They were demanding supplies that the Acoma tribe needed to endure the winter. The Acoma resisted, giving them their supplies. Thirteen Spaniards were killed, among them Don Juan Onate’s nephew.
In 1599, Onate retaliated; his soldiers killed 800 villagers. They locked up the remaining 500 women and children, and by Don Juan’s ruling, they amputated the left foot of every Acoma man over the age of twenty-five. Eighty men had their left foot amputated. In 1601 he decided he should send exploratory parties into Kansas. 1605 they went west of California, looking for gold. They were unsuccessful.
Juan de Onate settler’s wanted to return back home to their homes in New Spain with their families. Juan disagreed; he did not allow them to return back. Why? No one knows. Juan de Onate groups continued to go up the Rio Grande to present-day Northern New Mexico, when he lived among the Pueblo Indians. Juan de Onate also founded the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico. Juan had also become the province’s first governor. Soon Onate gained a standing as a stern ruler of both the Spanish and the indigenous people.
In 1606, Onate was recalled to Mexico City for a trial into his manner. After finishing plans for the start of the town of Santa Fe, Juan de Onate resigned from his governorship. Juan de Onate was banished from New Mexico, but on request was cleared of all charges. Eventually Onate went back to Spain, where the king chosen him head of mining inspectors for all of Spain.
Juan de Onate died In Spain in 1626. Juan was sometimes referred to as “the Last Conquistador”. Juan de Onate is honored mostly by some of his exploratory ventures. Juan is also vilified by others for his cruelty to the Indians of Acoma Pueblo.
At the Onate Monument Visitors Center just northeast of Espanola is a 1991 bronze statue dedicated to Juan de Onate. In 1998 New Mexico celebrated the 400th anniversary of his arrival. That same year persons opposed to the statue or what it seeming to represent, cutting off the statues right foot. They had also left a note saying, “Fair is fair”. The sculptor decided that he should put the right foot back on, so he did recast the foot but the seam is still visible.
In 1549 a baby named Juan de Onate was born. He was born in Zacatecas, New Spain (Mexico). His father’s name was Cristobal De Onate; his father was a conquistador/silver baron. Juan’s mother was Dona Catalina Salazar. They were silver mine owners, and Spanish-Basque colonists. He grew up dreaming of conquering the region north of New Spain.
Juan de Onate first career was as an Indian fighter. He was an Indian fighter in the Northern Frontier region of New Spain. Juan de Onate then married Isabel de Tolosa de Moctezuma. She was the granddaughter of Hernan Cortes. When he grew older he started an expedition. In 1595 King Philip ІІ ordered Juan De Onate to conquer the upper part of the Rio Grande Valley. His expedition started
in 1598. He crossed the Rio Grande at El Paso in 1598 as-well. Juan De Onate and the Chama named the area New Mexico. On April 30, 1598 Juan de Onate claimed all of New Mexico beyond the river of Spain. October of 1598 came and a battle erupted when Onate’s occupying Spanish military demanded supplies from the Acoma tribe. They were demanding supplies that the Acoma tribe needed to endure the winter. The Acoma resisted, giving them their supplies. Thirteen Spaniards were killed, among them Don Juan Onate’s nephew.
In 1599, Onate retaliated; his soldiers killed 800 villagers. They locked up the remaining 500 women and children, and by Don Juan’s ruling, they amputated the left foot of every Acoma man over the age of twenty-five. Eighty men had their left foot amputated. In 1601 he decided he should send exploratory parties into Kansas. 1605 they went west of California, looking for gold. They were unsuccessful.
Juan de Onate settler’s wanted to return back home to their homes in New Spain with their families. Juan disagreed; he did not allow them to return back. Why? No one knows. Juan de Onate groups continued to go up the Rio Grande to present-day Northern New Mexico, when he lived among the Pueblo Indians. Juan de Onate also founded the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico. Juan had also become the province’s first governor. Soon Onate gained a standing as a stern ruler of both the Spanish and the indigenous people.
In 1606, Onate was recalled to Mexico City for a trial into his manner. After finishing plans for the start of the town of Santa Fe, Juan de Onate resigned from his governorship. Juan de Onate was banished from New Mexico, but on request was cleared of all charges. Eventually Onate went back to Spain, where the king chosen him head of mining inspectors for all of Spain.
Juan de Onate died In Spain in 1626. Juan was sometimes referred to as “the Last Conquistador”. Juan de Onate is honored mostly by some of his exploratory ventures. Juan is also vilified by others for his cruelty to the Indians of Acoma Pueblo.
At the Onate Monument Visitors Center just northeast of Espanola is a 1991 bronze statue dedicated to Juan de Onate. In 1998 New Mexico celebrated the 400th anniversary of his arrival. That same year persons opposed to the statue or what it seeming to represent, cutting off the statues right foot. They had also left a note saying, “Fair is fair”. The sculptor decided that he should put the right foot back on, so he did recast the foot but the seam is still visible.