About Indian Tribes in the Rio Grande
The Indian Tribes of the Rio Grande have played an important part in the history of the United States. Today, they are still on their ancient lands, keeping their history alive. The pueblos of the Rio Grande make top vacation destinations.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
Indian Tribes settled in the Rio Grande area as far back as the 12th and 13th centuries, long before Europeans explored North America. As evidenced in the name of the Pueblos, there is a strong Spanish influence. That is due in some part to the fact that Spain was the first country to colonize the area. Many of the tribes trace their ancestry back to the ancient Aztecs of Mexico.
Significance
-
The Indian tribes in the Rio Grande area have contributed much to modern society. Long ago they developed a method of making clay that is still used today. Houses are still made out of adobe. They farmed a land that was not easy to farm, settling along the Rio Grande to make use of the water supply. The first white settlers in the area learned the farming methods from the Indian tribes, making it possible for them to survive. Today, they play a big part in the tourism industry in New Mexico.
-
Types
-
There are 18 different Pueblo tribes along the Rio Grande in New Mexico: 1. Pueblo of Taos--the Jicarilla Apache Tribe; 2. Pueblo of Picuris--the Tewa Tribe; 3. Pueblo of San Juan--the Tewa Tribe; 4. Pueblo of Santa Clara--the Tewa Tribe; 5. Pueblo of Nambe--the Tewa Tribe; 6. Pueblo of San Ildefonso--the Tewa Tribe; 7. Pueblo of Pojoaque--the Tewa Tribe; 8. Pueblo of Tesuque--the Tewa Tribe; 9. Pueblo of Cochiti--the Keresan Tribe; 10. Pueblo of Santo Domingo--the Kewa Tribe; 11. Pueblo of Jemez--the Jemez Tribe; 12. Pueblo of Zia--the Ia Tribe; 13. Pueblo of Santa Ana--the Keresan Tribe; 14. Pueblo of San Felipe--the Katishtya Tribe; 15. Pueblo of Sandia--the Sandia Tribe; 16. Pueblo of Isleta--the Tigua Tribe; 17. Pueblo of Laguna--the Kawaik Tribe; 18. Pueblo of Acoma--the Keresan Tribe.
Time Frame
-
The first Paleo Indians settled in the Rio Grande area about 20,000 years ago. They are thought to be the first-ever immigrants to North America. The first modern-day Indian tribes stated arriving in the area in about 1200 C.E. and built the first adobe dwellings. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was the first explorer to visit the area in 1540. The first combined Spanish-Indian settlement was founded in 1659. In 1680, the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico won a revolution against the Spanish. However, they lost a second one in 1696. In 1786, New Mexico governor Juan Bautista de Anza made peace with the Comanches. From 1863 to 1968 the Navajos and Apaches were forced off their lands in what became known as the Long Walk. In 1886 Geronimo surrendered, ending the Indian wars in the Southwest. In 1913, New Mexico became the 47th state. Oil was discovered on the Navajo Reservation in 1923. In 1948, Indian tribes gained the right to vote in state elections.
Geography
-
The geography around the Rio Grande area made it a difficult place to settle. The land just northwest of the river had turned to desert. The Indian tribes used the rocky cliffs for living, making their own caves. The cliffs gave them security from invaders. If not for the Rio Grande itself providing irrigation, the Indian tribes would not have been able to farm.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
