The Pueblo Revolt: What Should be Done in the Face of Oppression? (1678)


Scroll down for the Pueblo Revolt issue guide.


This resource connects to the student deliberation guide on the lead up to the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, which took place in the southwestern lands of what is now the United States. The Pueblo Revolt was the culminating result of decades of oppression by Spanish colonizers of Native peoples who had been present in the region for thousands of years. The hardships endured ranged from prohibition of Pueblo practices and religious beliefs, to forced labor and tribute, and annexation of Pueblo lands. Throughout this, the Pueblo peoples faced tyranny as well as disease. Smallpox and other illnesses brought over on Spanish ships reduced their population by two-thirds. As students investigate the cultural, historical, economic, and political context of the time, they will wrestle with and weigh possible answers to the question: What should be done in the face of oppression?