Alonso de Benavides' Memorial (1630)
- Rosie Jayde Uyola
- Sep 11, 2025
- 3 min read
Do Now (5 minutes = 8-10 sentences)
Prompt: What words or phrases would you expect a Spanish missionary in 1630 to use when describing Native Americans? Why?
Activity 1: Alonso de Benavides’ Memorial (1630)
Directions: Read the excerpts below from Father Alonso de Benavides’ Memorial (1630). Answer the guiding questions that follow each excerpt.
Excerpt 1
“The people of New Mexico are the best that have been discovered in the Indies, and I believe in the whole world, for they always go about decently covered, the men with a mantle of cloth down to the feet and a long-sleeved tunic of the same stuff, and the women with gowns. They are white, ruddy, and of good complexion, more than any other I have seen in the Indies. They are very obedient to the fathers and very devout toward the holy things of the church, very inclined to virtue, and of good capacity.”
Question 1: What is Father Alonso de Benavides’ perception of Native Americans in the Southwest?
Excerpt 2
“It seems that the devil, who has always tried to hinder the good, wished to sow his cockle among this wheat; for he raised up some sorcerers and medicine men of the natives, who began to murmur and to spread abroad in their dances and assemblies that it was not good to accept the faith, because the Spaniards would destroy them all. Thus it happened that some apostatized and many others were perverted.”
Question 2: What inference can you make about the cause of these interactions?
Excerpt 3
“The most important thing in this kingdom is the conversion and salvation of these souls, which is the principal aim and goal of Your Majesty in sending us to these parts.”
Question 3: What is Benavides’ goal in the region?
Excerpt 4
“They work the silver mines, and give great service in the houses of the Spaniards, raising their flocks and herds, grinding their wheat, making their bread, and bringing them water on their backs.”
Question 4: What does Benavides suggest about Native American labor?
Excerpt 5
“It has all been done by the hand of God our Lord, who has so increased these kingdoms and brought them to their present state, through His marvelous miracles, and for the greater glory of His Majesty.”
Question 5: According to Benavides, who is responsible for the success of Spanish exploration? Identify the text that supports this answer.
Activity 2: SAQ Practice
Short Answer Questions (SAQs) make up 20% of your overall AP Exam score. You will have 40 minutes to answer three questions.
Question 1: required, includes 1–2 secondary sources, focuses on developments between 1754–1980.
Question 2: required, includes 1 primary source, focuses on developments between 1754–1980.
Question 3 or 4: choice between two questions; Q3 covers 1491–1877, Q4 covers 1865–2001; no sources provided.
Each SAQ has three tasks (A, B, C). It is best to label each section of your response A, B, C.
This is a practice SAQ modeled on Question 2.
You should aim to write 3–5 sentences for each part, for a total of 9–15 sentences.
The biggest mistake would be to fail to directly answer the question.
Use the acronym C-E-E: Claim, Evidence, Explain.
Practice Question
(A) Briefly describe ONE perspective about Native Americans in the 1600s expressed in the excerpts.
(B) Briefly explain ONE specific event or development that led to the perspective expressed in the excerpts.
(C) Briefly explain ONE specific effect of the historical developments referenced by the excerpts.
Exit Ticket
Return to your KWL chart and complete the “What I Learned” column
