Investor Presentaiton
The Chichimeca War Begins (1550)
In 1550, Zacatecos attacked, robbed and
killed travelers on the road to the Zacatecas
mines, thus beginning the four-decade La
Guerra de los Chichimecas (The War of the
Chichimecas). In the years to follow, the
Zacatecos and Guachichiles frequently
ambushed and assaulted travelers and
merchants along the road from Mexico City
to Zacatecas.
The attacks along this road disrupted the
mining operations and delayed the
transport of the silver bullion southward to
help sustain the Spanish Empire. The
Chichimecas also plundered north-bound
supply caravans and seized their livestock.
The Chichimecas had been used to eating
small game animals but soon became
enthusiastic consumers of the stolen
Spanish livestock, especially horses and
mules.
Source: Philip Wayne Powell, "Soldiers, Indians and Silver:
North America's First Frontier War" (1973).
San Mari
uadalajara
Mochis
Zacatecas
Map Caminos y poblados
en la frontera norte
de Nueva España
ca. 1550
Poblado
Camino Real México-Zacatecas
Otros Caminos
Querétaro
Celaya
Rio Lerma
Vala
Acabar
Verde
Jxpe
Mexico
Map Source: Grin20, "Map of the of Northern Viceroyalty of New Spain
(Colonial Mexico)" (Jan. 5, 2012).
17
Copyright © 2019 by John P. Schmal.
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