Power and Encounter Organizer
Power & Encounter
Comparing Spanish Expeditions in the Southwest
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Date:
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The Focus Question
How did power shape the Spanish encounters with Indigenous peoples in the Southwest?
Part 1: Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (1528–1536)
Shipwrecked on the Gulf Coast, Cabeza de Vaca lived for eight years as a captive, trader, and revered healer, traversing the Southwest to find his way back to Spanish territory.
Why was he in the Southwest?
What was his situation?
How much power did he have? Circle your rating below & justify with historical evidence
LOW POWER
MEDIUM POWER
HIGH POWER
How did Indigenous peoples shape his experience?
What does his story reveal?
Unit: Spanish Colonization & Conflict PAGE 1
Power & Encounter
Student Analysis Portfolio
Part 2: Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (1540–1542)
Leading a massive, heavily armed imperial expedition of hundreds of soldiers and indigenous allies, Coronado marched north searching for golden cities, demanding submission and resources.
Why was he in the Southwest?
What was his situation?
How much power did he have? Circle your rating below & justify with historical evidence
LOW POWER
MEDIUM POWER
HIGH POWER
How did Indigenous peoples shape his experience?
What does his story reveal?
Part 3: The Big Comparison
The most important difference between these two encounters was:
Why does that difference matter in New Mexico history?
Unit: Spanish Colonization & Conflict PAGE 2
