NEW MEXICO HISTORY - THE EXPLORERS

************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced
in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must
obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission
to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
      Gina Heffernan - ginagale@bigfoot.com
      June 18, 2000

http://www.rootsweb/
***********************************************************************

The United States

	Spain lost her hold on New Mexico when Mexico gained it’s independence. In turn, 
Mexico lost the area when the people of the new Untied States began to explore. Those people 
came seeking furs, then trade. The first of those explorers was Zebulon Montgomery Pike. His 
orders were to find the headwaters of the Arkansas River and then return to Nachitoches by way 
of the Red River.
	Pike’s expedition in 1805-6 was much smaller than Coronado’s army, just a handful of 
men and a civilian doctor. They had a few tents, a few blankets, and their clothes were too 
light for the cold of the higher altitudes. Like many of the explorers, they thought they were 
headed into the extremely warm temperatures of the desert.
	Pike’s travels took him into the mountains in Colorado and they came upon a stream 
they took to be the Red River. It was actually the headwaters of the Rio Grande. Pike built 
a fort and raised the American flag. Unfortunately he was in Spanish territory and was almost 
immediately arrested and imprisoned. Fortunately, the imprisonment was in name only and Pike 
saw more of the land in his days of captivity thatn he did when free. He and the young officer 
who arrested him became close friends and explored much of the region together. Pike published 
a book about his adventures in New Mexico and started a rush of young explorers into the area.
	Fur trappers began the flood of drifters from the States into New Mexico. Taos became 
a major rendezvous point for trappers and traders. The mountain men were the real discoverers 
of the American West. From Canada to Mexico, they traveled, trapped, and traded and added to 
the meager store of knowledge of the lay of the land. Later, they hired out as guides to other 
traders and to pioneers who were forever pushing westward. Out of this press of people came 
the foundations for the Santa Fe Trail.
	On May 13, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico. In June of that year, the 
Army of the West was organized under the leadership of Colonel Stephen Watts Kearney at Fort 
Leavenworth. His orders were to occupy all territory from New Mexico to California. In July, 
1800 men moved from the fort out onto the plains. In August they began their negotiations 
with Governor Manuel Armijo at Taos. Armijo managed 2000 volunteer troops and made a great 
show of protecting his territory, but when Kearney’s army made its appearance, he dismissed 
his troops and rode away to Mexico.
	On August 18, 1846, the flag of the United States was raised over the plaza at Santa 
Fe without a shot ever being fired. Juan B. Vigil was appointed acting governor. In September, 
Kearney publicized a code of laws that was to be the basis for civil government in New Mexico 
until 1899. The main part of the army left for California on September 25th and Charles Bent 
took over as governor.
	Deep resentment at being deserted by Armijo led to plots to kill the Americans and 
the New Mexicans who supported them. In January 1847, several officials including Governor 
Bent were murdered in Taos. On January 24, Colonel Sterling Price led 353 Americans against 
1500 New Mexicans and their leader, Jesus Tafoya. The two armies met at La Canada and the 
Americans won. Price marched his small army through heavy snow to Taos and on February 5, a 
day long battle ended the revolt.
	On May 30, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe ended the Mexican War and New Mexico 
officially became a part of the United States.On September 9, 1850, it was granted the title 
of territory and included most of present day New Mexico and Arizona and part of southern 
Colorado.