Pima Revolt facts for kids
The Pima Revolt was a major uprising by the Pima Native Americans in 1751. It is also called the O'odham Uprising or the Pima Outbreak. This revolt happened in what is now Arizona, against the Spanish settlers. It was one of the biggest conflicts in the northern parts of New Spain (which was a Spanish colony).
Why the Pima Revolt Started
The Pima Revolt happened after many years of tension. Spanish settlers had been moving into the area since 1684. They often used violence against the local Native Americans.
Over time, the Pima people slowly lost their independence and their land. The Spanish signed agreements that allowed them to mine and raise animals on Native lands. This brought many new settlers. By 1760, Spanish people were a large group in the American Southwest.
However, the area called Sonora had many more Native Americans. Because of this, there were often conflicts between them and the Spanish. The Pima Revolt happened right after another uprising by the Seri Indians in Sonora.
The Uprising Begins
The Pima people did not have one single leader for all their groups. But a powerful man named Luis Oacpicagigua (Luis of Sáric) worked to unite them. He tried to bring together at least 15,000 people under one plan to fight back.
The revolt began with a terrible event. Eighteen Spanish settlers were tricked into coming to Oacpicagigua's home in Sáric. There, they were attacked and killed.
Over the next three months, Oacpicagigua and more than a hundred other men attacked Spanish settlements. They also attacked the mission at Tubutama. More than a hundred settlers were killed during these attacks.
Oacpicagigua finally gave up on March 18, 1752. He surrendered to Captain José Díaz del Carpio after they agreed on a peace deal. The Pima leaders blamed the Jesuit missionaries for the revolt. Because of this, the colonial governor, Ortiz Parrilla, pardoned them. The Jesuits were later removed from Spain and its colonies in 1767.
What Happened After the Conflict
Small fights started again soon after the main revolt ended. Oacpicagigua was eventually put in a Spanish prison, where he died in 1755.
To control the Pima and Seri people, the Spanish government built three new forts, called presidios, in Sonora. These were San Ignacio de Tubac, Santa Gertrudis de Altar, and San Carlos de Buenavista. Today, these places are known as Tubac, Arizona, Altar, Sonora, and Buenavista, Sonora.
Even though some smaller rebellions continued, by the late 1700s, most Native Americans in Sonora had either joined the Spanish missions or adopted Spanish ways. These tribes became part of the Spanish Empire.
