rce their religion upon the Pueblo natives, they were met with a fierce and desperate resistance. The natives at the Pueblo tried to drive the Jesuits out of the region completely. Not until the mid 1740s did the Spanish regain full control of the Rio Grande.Disease enslavement, cruelty, and massacers by the English, Dutch, French and Spanish drastically reduced the Indian population in the 1800's by five sixths the original population. For a while these settlers tried softer tactics. But ultimately, it was back to annhilation. As soon as the Indians became usless to furthering the causes in the best interest of the Europeans, they became expendable. They were mere obstacles in the way of progress. As Zinn put it; victims of progress. Ultimately their land was more valuable than their friendship....
