Indians that through their submission they will obtain
such benefits as new trade goods and the Catholic re-
ligion, which promises them “an eternal life of great
bliss.” (See also entry for JANUARY 1599.)
1599January
Pueblo at Acoma are massacred by
the Spanish.
Angered by their constant demands for food and
clothing, the Indians of Acoma Pueblo rebel against
the Spanish soldiers and settlers led by Don Juan de
Oñate (see entry for 1598) who have invaded their
lands. Acoma warriors kill 13 men, including sev-
eral officers. Oñate immediately organizes a swift
and brutal retaliation. A well-armed Spanish army
sets upon Acoma, destroys the pueblo, and massa-
cres approximately 800 residents. Eighty men and
500 woman and children are taken captive.
Oñate punishes the survivors by sentencing
women older than 12 and men between 12 and 25
to 20 years of servitude. Men older than 25 are to
serve an equal number of years as slaves, but in ad-
dition they are to have one foot cut off in a public
ceremony. The Spanish also amputate one hand of
two Hopi who had been at Acoma at the time of
the rebellion. They are set free to tell the people of
other pueblos of the hideous consequences of the
quelled revolt. The punishments will have the effect
Oñate hopes for: the Spanish will not have to con-
tend with another well-organized Pueblo revolt for
80 years (see entry for AUGUST 10, 1680).
1602The Company of New France is given a
trading monopoly.
The French Crown grants the Company of New
France a monopoly on trade in its lands in North
America. Modeled after the English and Dutch
trading companies in the East Indies, the firm is
instructed to settle 4,000 colonists within 15 years
and to support missionaries in their efforts to con-
vert Indians to Catholicism. Although the company
will succeed in bringing France into the lucrative
Indian fur trade, it will do little to encourage colo-
nization or missionary work.1603Samuel de Champlain begins exploring
the Northeast.
Sailing for France, Samuel de Champlain starts his
extensive travels along the Atlantic coast of what is
now southern Canada and northern United States—
explorations that will solidify his country’s land
claims in the region. During his journeys, Champlain
encounters many different Indian groups and tries
to establish friendly relationships. In part because he
meets the most hostility from southern Indians, the
French will focus on settling less fertile areas to the
north, making them more dependent on trade with
Indians for food and supplies than are other Euro-
pean colonizers. (See also entries for 1608, SUMMER
1609, JUNE 1610, and AUGUST 1615.)1604The Micmac establish a trade relationship
with the French at Port Royal.
At Port Royal, a trading post on the Bay of Fundy,
the French court the nearby Micmac as trading
partners. French traders offer the Micmac an array
of European goods, such as metalware and clothing.
Even more interesting to the Indians are muskets
and steel arrow points, which help them defeat
their Indian enemies. Several traders, including
Charles Biencourt de Saint-Just and Robert Gravé
du Pont, also please the Micmac by learning their
language and adopting many of their ways. The
Micmac and French at the post will develop such
a close friendship that both groups will routinely
offer to share provisions whenever the other’s food
stores run low.