| Beginning at dawn on 10 August 1680, Pueblo Indians from various villages throughout the New Mexico region rebelled against Spanish rule. Within less than two months, the Pueblo Indians had forcibly evicted the Spaniards who had dominated their lives for the past one hundred fifty years. This rebellion was the first successful Native American revolt against the Spanish in the Western Hemisphere. Although various circumstances contributed to the discontent which led to this uprising, the primary objective of the Indians during the revolt was to regain religious freedom. The brutality of the Indians during these attacks resulted from the violent examples previously set forth by the Franciscan missionaries in their attempts to convert the Indians to the Christian religion. It was during the early sixteenth century that the Spanish initiated their exploration into the area which is presently known as the Southwest United States. In 1528, a Moorish slave named Esteban became the first person of Spanish rule to encounter the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande region. Eight years later, Andres Dorantes, his slave Esteban, and two other survivors of this entourage arrived back at Mexico City with elaborate tales of the richness of the region. In March 1539, Esteban was sent back to the New Mexico region by his new master, Viceroy Mendoza. His purpose on this mission was to serve as a guide for another group of Spanish explorers seeking |