Rio Grande, Part 1

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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 in
North America, the Rio Grande.

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VOICE ONE:

The Rio Grande is the fifth
longest river on the North American continent. It forms the border
between the southwestern state of Texas and Mexico. The Rio Grande
been has important in the history and development of the United
States and Mexico. However, the river has a different name in
Mexico. It is called Rio Bravo del Norte.

The Rio Grande begins its three-thousand kilometer trip to the
Gulf of Mexico high in the Rocky Mountains in the state of Colorado.
It begins almost four-thousand meters up where the river is fed by
melting snow. Soon, other small streams flow into the river,
increasing its size as it flows generally south through the state of
New Mexico. Its waters flow through deep mountain canyons. Some of
them are more than five-hundred meters deep. It continues across
great flat plains areas, and deserts, feeding rich agricultural
areas along the way.

VOICE TWO:

The Rio Grande flows south to the cities of El Paso, Texas, and
Ciudad Juarez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Then it turns in a
southeast direction. Here it becomes the border line between the
United States and Mexico for two-thousand kilometers.

From this point in the most
western part of Texas, the Rio Grande flows east to where the river
empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Along its way, the river flows
through or past the cities of Albuquerque and Las Cruces, New
Mexico, by El Paso, and Ciudad Juarez. The last cities it touches
are 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 number
of rivers flow into it. In the United States, those rivers include
the 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 in
many places on the river, there is not much water flowing. This lack
of water is a sign that much of the river is used for growing crops
and providing water supplies for the expanding population.

This is not a new use for the Rio Grande. There is much evidence
that the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico used water
from the river to grow crops for thousands of years.

The Pueblo ancestors arrived in the southwest of what is now the
United States about two-thousand years ago. Although their food
mostly came from hunting, they grew some crops for food.

The Pueblo civilization went through a number of changes over
time. Some of those changes were caused by invasions by other Indian
groups such as the Navajo and Apache Indians. A severe dry period
more than six-hundred years ago also affected the Pueblo
civilization. The weather is believed to be one reason some of the
great cities of the southwest area were left empty as the Pueblo
ancestors moved closer to the Rio Grande. A major change for these
people 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 mouth
of the Rio Grande. They first were looking for a way to the Pacific
Ocean. Soon they were more interested in searching for riches such
as those captured by Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes.

In Fifteen-Twenty-One, Cortes conquered the great Aztec Empire in
what is modern Mexico. Cortes seized huge amounts of gold and jewels
from the Aztecs.

Many Spanish explorers heard the stories about the wealth of the
Aztecs. They hoped to find similar wealth among other Indian groups
in North America.

Some explorers hoped that the Rio Grande would lead them to
Indian nations that also possessed gold and jewels. The most famous
explorer of the Rio Grande territory was Francisco Vazquez de
Coronado. He arrived at the Rio Grande in Fifteen-Forty.

VOICE ONE:

Earlier explorers of the Rio Grande area said they had heard of
great Indian cities on a river in the north. The stories they heard
were about cities that had treasures of costly stones, such as
turquoise and emeralds.

The Spanish explorers also believed there was gold, silver, iron
and copper in the mountains to the north. Spain had already taken
great wealth from the Incas of Peru and the Aztecs of Mexico. Why
not also take the riches of the Indians cities north of Mexico?

So, the Spanish viceroy of Mexico gave an order which would
change the history of North America. He asked Coronado to lead an
army of Spanish soldiers to the north. They were ordered to conquer
new land for the king of Spain -- land that the Spaniards called
Cibola.

VOICE TWO:

Coronado and his soldiers did not find the cities of gold that
they were seeking. Instead they found many Indian towns with tall
houses and rich fields full of corn and other plants. The people
were peaceful farmers. They did not remain peaceful.

The Spanish soldiers did things to the Pueblo Indians that made
them angry. So, the Indians decided to push the Spaniards out of
their land.

The Spanish soldiers won the battles with the Pueblo Indians and
destroyed many of their towns. Then the Spanish searched for gold
and silver. They found none. They returned to Mexico with nothing to
show for their struggles in the areas of the Rio Grande River.

Coronado died in Mexico City in Fifteen-fifty-four. He was
forty-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 to
establish a colony in the area. They tried four times and failed
each time.

In Fifteen-Ninety-Eight, a large Spanish army marched north from
Mexico. The King of Spain ordered that a colony be established on
the river north of Mexico. The name of the new colony was to be New
Mexico.

VOICE TWO:

Traveling with this army were many families, Roman Catholic
priests, and thousands of cattle. They established a colony on the
river where some Pueblo Indians already lived. The Spanish called it
San Juan. The Indians seemed to accept them. But the peace did not
last. Suffering and tragedy spread through the land as the Spanish
and Indians fought.

The Spanish priests and the settlers in San Juan began to protest
against the cruel treatment of the Indians. It would be better, they
said, not to have any Spanish colony in New Mexico than to built one
on such crimes against the native peoples.

Finally, in Sixteen-Six, the King of Spain ordered the end of the
colony at San Juan. The Spanish settlers left but the Indians
remained 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 new
capital was built, called Santa Fe. It still is the capital.

This time the goal of the Spanish government was to spread the
Christian religion among the Indians. The Brothers of the Order of
Saint Francis were not like the earlier Spaniards.

At first the Indians resisted them. But, over time, they
understood that these men did not want to oppress them. The
Franciscans wanted to teach the Indians about Jesus Christ.

The Franciscans helped the Pueblo Indians build many beautiful
churches throughout the area. The churches were built with local
materials. They did not look like the traditional churches of
Europe. Some of these churches still stand today. They are very
popular with artists.

VOICE TWO:

The Spanish government and the Franciscans argued about how to
treat the Indians. The government wanted to use them as slaves. The
Franciscans wanted the Indians to be protected. The Indians were not
sure who they should obey.

While this dispute was taking place there was a long dry period
that caused people in the area to starve. Then, the disease smallpox
began taking the lives of many Indians and Spanish settlers. There
was a violent rebellion by the Pueblo Indians and the Spanish were
forced to leave the Rio Grande area. Yet, they were not to be pushed
out for long.

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VOICE ONE:

This Special English program was written by Oliver Chanler. This
is Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for the second
part of this EXPLORATIONS program on the Voice of America.