Members of the small colony were not accustomed to paying taxes. They had yet to see any tangible result of what they had contributed and they were hesitant, even angered, at the prospect of paying more. So when the time came for an appreciable hike, the people of Northern New Mexico rebelled.

Often referred to as the Chimayó Rebellion, the 1837 insurrection in New Mexico was a violent, but short, outpouring of resistance to changes in leadership and management of the northern territories of Mexico.

A fundamentally diverse community of Pueblos, Hispanos and other Native peoples who had been adopted into Spanish society, Chimayó and other communities nearby were a true product of Spanish colonization. But the Spanish left in 1821, forced out by the Mexicans, and a fragile society would have to be restructured. In 1835, the Mexican government chose a rising political star named Albino Pérez to take control of New Mexico.

Pérez arrived to New Mexico just as major changes were taking hold throughout Mexico. Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna instituted a new centralist government in 1836, ending more than a dozen years of relative independence in New Mexico. Among other federally mandated changes, was a tax to be collected in the provinces and sent to the federal capital.

Talking among themselves, the people of Northern New Mexico shared their concerns over this new tax and managed to inflate the tax burden. In short order, the rumor mill transformed into the war machine.

People in the area were by then accustomed to using arms and forming militias as defense against raiders. As a consequence, the Mexican authorities had little choice but to take seriously an Aug. 1 proclamation drafted in Rio Arriba. The document made it clear that the people of Rio Arriba would not stand for the federal changes. Pérez had little choice but to respond.

At La Mesilla, more than a thousand disgruntled Natives, Hispanos and others ambushed the governor and his small entourage. Much of the governor's contingent immediately defected and joined the rebels. A number of the governor's men were taken prisoner, but Pérez himself was able to escape to Santa Fe.

Word reached Santo Domingo that Pérez was returning to Santa Fe and a party was sent north to finish the job. Pérez fought with fist and dagger, but a bullet got the best of him and soon the governor was beheaded, his head placed on a pike. Nearly 20 Pérez supporters were killed in the fight, one of whom was castrated while still alive.

The rebels took power and installed their own governor only to see him greeted with additional violent opposition. Tempers flared and the people of Santa Fe soon had good cause to worry once again. Hundreds of men from the north and south were mobilizing to take Santa Fe.

On Sept. 21, 1837, Manuel Armijo, former governor and entrepreneur, led some thousand men to Santa Fe where 3,000 men under the recently installed rebel government stood ready to defend their newly won power. Faced with Armijo's superior arms, the rebels surrendered to Armijo's terms. They signed a treaty, surrendered some of the key leaders of the rebellion and the fighting ended. Out of the new terms, Armijo rose as governor of New Mexico.

Even with an army under his control and an official appointment as governor, Armijo still faced a continuing threat of rebellion. Another outbreak in Truchas provoked Armijo into seeking troops from Chihuahua, Mexico. This display of power coupled with Armijo's decision to execute prisoners taken earlier, helped stir New Mexicans to peace.

Armijo also had the wisdom to lower taxes and reduce strain on militias by taking better care of New Mexican troops. The new peace also rebuilt confidence in the safety of the Santa Fe Trail, bringing much needed trade back to the region. Although Americans distrusted Armijo, the lucrative Santa Fe Trail could not be ignored.

Within a decade, New Mexico would become property of the United States and what few gains were won by these revolts would have little to do with the new territorial government set up by the Americans. Perhaps, worse yet, New Mexicans would be from the end of the rebellion onward under the control of a centralized government.

Jason Strykowski is a doctoral student at The University of New Mexico.