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VOICE ONE:
This is Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program,EXPLORATIONS. Today we tell about one of the most famous rivers inNorth America, the Rio Grande.
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VOICE ONE:
The Rio Grande is the fifthlongest river on the North American continent. It forms the borderbetween the southwestern state of Texas and Mexico. The Rio Grandebeen has important in the history and development of the UnitedStates and Mexico. However, the river has a different name inMexico. It is called Rio Bravo del Norte.
The Rio Grande begins its three-thousand kilometer trip to theGulf of Mexico high in the Rocky Mountains in the state of Colorado.It begins almost four-thousand meters up where the river is fed bymelting snow. Soon, other small streams flow into the river,increasing its size as it flows generally south through the state ofNew Mexico. Its waters flow through deep mountain canyons. Some ofthem are more than five-hundred meters deep. It continues acrossgreat flat plains areas, and deserts, feeding rich agriculturalareas along the way.
VOICE TWO:
The Rio Grande flows south to the cities of El Paso, Texas, andCiudad Juarez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Then it turns in asoutheast direction. Here it becomes the border line between theUnited States and Mexico for two-thousand kilometers.
From this point in the mostwestern part of Texas, the Rio Grande flows east to where the riverempties into the Gulf of Mexico. Along its way, the river flowsthrough or past the cities of Albuquerque and Las Cruces, NewMexico, by El Paso, and Ciudad Juarez. The last cities it touchesare Brownsville, Texas on one side of the border and Matamoros,Mexico on the other.
On its long trip to the sea, the Rio Grande expands as a numberof rivers flow into it. In the United States, those rivers includethe Pecos, Devils, Chama, and Puerco rivers. In Mexico, the Conchos,Salado, and San Juan rivers provide waters to the Rio Grande.
VOICE ONE:
In some places the river is more than ten meters deep. But inmany places on the river, there is not much water flowing. This lackof water is a sign that much of the river is used for growing cropsand providing water supplies for the expanding population.
This is not a new use for the Rio Grande. There is much evidencethat the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico used waterfrom the river to grow crops for thousands of years.
The Pueblo ancestors arrived in the southwest of what is now theUnited States about two-thousand years ago. Although their foodmostly came from hunting, they grew some crops for food.
The Pueblo civilization went through a number of changes overtime. Some of those changes were caused by invasions by other Indiangroups such as the Navajo and Apache Indians. A severe dry periodmore than six-hundred years ago also affected the Pueblocivilization. The weather is believed to be one reason some of thegreat cities of the southwest area were left empty as the Puebloancestors moved closer to the Rio Grande. A major change for thesepeople began soon after the first Europeans came to the Rio Grande.
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VOICE TWO:
In the early Fifteen-Hundreds, Spanish ships sailed to the mouthof the Rio Grande. They first were looking for a way to the PacificOcean. Soon they were more interested in searching for riches suchas those captured by Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes.
In Fifteen-Twenty-One, Cortes conquered the great Aztec Empire inwhat is modern Mexico. Cortes seized huge amounts of gold and jewelsfrom the Aztecs.
Many Spanish explorers heard the stories about the wealth of theAztecs. They hoped to find similar wealth among other Indian groupsin North America.
Some explorers hoped that the Rio Grande would lead them toIndian nations that also possessed gold and jewels. The most famousexplorer of the Rio Grande territory was Francisco Vazquez deCoronado. He arrived at the Rio Grande in Fifteen-Forty.
VOICE ONE:
Earlier explorers of the Rio Grande area said they had heard ofgreat Indian cities on a river in the north. The stories they heardwere about cities that had treasures of costly stones, such asturquoise and emeralds.
The Spanish explorers also believed there was gold, silver, ironand copper in the mountains to the north. Spain had already takengreat wealth from the Incas of Peru and the Aztecs of Mexico. Whynot also take the riches of the Indians cities north of Mexico?
So, the Spanish viceroy of Mexico gave an order which wouldchange the history of North America. He asked Coronado to lead anarmy of Spanish soldiers to the north. They were ordered to conquernew land for the king of Spain — land that the Spaniards calledCibola.
VOICE TWO:
Coronado and his soldiers did not find the cities of gold thatthey were seeking. Instead they found many Indian towns with tallhouses and rich fields full of corn and other plants. The peoplewere peaceful farmers. They did not remain peaceful.
The Spanish soldiers did things to the Pueblo Indians that madethem angry. So, the Indians decided to push the Spaniards out oftheir land.
The Spanish soldiers won the battles with the Pueblo Indians anddestroyed many of their towns. Then the Spanish searched for goldand silver. They found none. They returned to Mexico with nothing toshow for their struggles in the areas of the Rio Grande River.
Coronado died in Mexico City in Fifteen-fifty-four. He wasforty-four years old.
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VOICE ONE:
After Coronado left the Rio Grande country in Fifteen-Forty-Two,the area again belonged to the Indians. Again the Spanish tried toestablish a colony in the area. They tried four times and failedeach time.
In Fifteen-Ninety-Eight, a large Spanish army marched north fromMexico. The King of Spain ordered that a colony be established onthe river north of Mexico. The name of the new colony was to be NewMexico.
VOICE TWO:
Traveling with this army were many families, Roman Catholicpriests, and thousands of cattle. They established a colony on theriver where some Pueblo Indians already lived. The Spanish called itSan Juan. The Indians seemed to accept them. But the peace did notlast. Suffering and tragedy spread through the land as the Spanishand Indians fought.
The Spanish priests and the settlers in San Juan began to protestagainst the cruel treatment of the Indians. It would be better, theysaid, not to have any Spanish colony in New Mexico than to built oneon such crimes against the native peoples.
Finally, in Sixteen-Six, the King of Spain ordered the end of thecolony at San Juan. The Spanish settlers left but the Indiansremained at what is now San Juan Pueblo. The Spanish would be back.
VOICE ONE:
In Sixteen-Ten, a new governor of New Mexico arrived. A newcapital was built, called Santa Fe. It still is the capital.
This time the goal of the Spanish government was to spread theChristian religion among the Indians. The Brothers of the Order ofSaint Francis were not like the earlier Spaniards.
At first the Indians resisted them. But, over time, theyunderstood that these men did not want to oppress them. TheFranciscans wanted to teach the Indians about Jesus Christ.
The Franciscans helped the Pueblo Indians build many beautifulchurches throughout the area. The churches were built with localmaterials. They did not look like the traditional churches ofEurope. Some of these churches still stand today. They are verypopular with artists.
VOICE TWO:
The Spanish government and the Franciscans argued about how totreat the Indians. The government wanted to use them as slaves. TheFranciscans wanted the Indians to be protected. The Indians were notsure who they should obey.
While this dispute was taking place there was a long dry periodthat caused people in the area to starve. Then, the disease smallpoxbegan taking the lives of many Indians and Spanish settlers. Therewas a violent rebellion by the Pueblo Indians and the Spanish wereforced to leave the Rio Grande area. Yet, they were not to be pushedout for long.
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VOICE ONE:
This Special English program was written by Oliver Chanler. Thisis Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for the secondpart of this EXPLORATIONS program on the Voice of America.