What Caused The Pueblo Revolt Of 1680?

Weber’s What Caused the Pueblo Revolt of 1680?:
The Power of Religion In 1680 the Pueblo Indians united in a courageous act of revolution against the dominating Spanish Conquistadores. The revolt, beginning on August 10th, 1680 and ending 11 days later, resulted in the loss of many lives, religious structures, and entire communities. The revolt would reveal deep religious conflict and contrast amongst the Puebloans and Spaniards. Ultimately the strong unethical push for widespread Catholicism and imposing religious dictatorship would be the ensuing motivation for the historical Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
Prior to the imposition of Spanish culture and religion, the Pueblo Indians flourished religiously by establishing unique practices and constructing

In addition to control of marriage, forced labor, and various other factors; the Spanish had a main goal of widespread Catholicism. Ramon A. Gutierrez, a well-known and established professor in the area of history, breaks down the events leading up to the revolt, while directing the cause of the battle at religion, or “contempt for Catholicism” by the Pueblo Indians (39). In the beginning of the essay the abuse and restriction of Indian religion is quickly exposed through the beatings committed by Fray Salvador de Guerra. Gutierrez goes on to state, “Guerra Viciously whipped Juan until “he was bathed in blood.” A second beating was inflicted later that day inside the church. Juan Cuna died in flames…for when the beating was done, the friar drenched him from head to foot with burning turpentine” (41). In addition to abusing Indians for their religious expressions, Franciscans began commiting martyrdom, or suffering deaths to reveal their own commitment to God. Gutierrez explains that the acts of martyrdom were not in good taste, as they often pushed the Pueblo Indians to great extents in order to reach extreme aggression causing Christian death. Additionally Ramon refers to

The historical Rutgers University Professor states, “Native ceremonies and liturgical articles had long been outlawed by Spanish officials, but those injunctions were suddenly enforced with renewed vigor. Essential ceremonial chambers and many altars were seized, dances were strictly forbidden, masks and prayer sticks were destroyed, priests and medicinemen were imprisoned, flogged or hanged” (25-26). All essential forms of religious expressions were banned under the Spaniard’s control. These outrageous rules of 1675 reveal the root cause of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. The Spaniard’s goal was additionally established through the following quote, “So from the outset the friars set themselves the goal of stamping out every particle of native religion and substituting Catholic doctrines and practices, using force if necessary” (27). It was evident from the beginning that the Franciscans would use extreme mental and physical force to control and diminish Pueblo religion. The Spanish goal of widespread Catholicism would ultimately be deemed successful until the revolt in