SANTA FE & THE TRAIL

Year Published: 1965

Description: This 1965 Encycloped Brittanica educational film focuses on the Santa Fe Trail; a 19th century route through central North America which connected Missouri and Santa Fe. A span of the area along this route opens the film which Native American tribes had inhabited in 1830 (:19). A herd of Buffalo grazes through the pasture and Native Americans had hunted them for their hides and their meat (:25). A character named Jessup Greg steers a wagon as he was making his third trip across the plane with his brother Adam (:44) to sell goods in Santa Fe. A map follows depicting the United States and Mexican territories in 1830 showing that Santa Fe at the time was still Mexican territory (:59). The Santa Fe trail began at Independence on the Missouri River (1:11) and the wagon route is zoomed in on which spanned 800 miles. Along the trail, there were few landmarks (2:20) or water sources and Native American tribes could be hostile (2:35). Jessup’s wagon gets stuck in a river while attempting to cross. Pockets of quicksand could cost the caravan horses and supplies (2:52). The Mexican flag flies in Santa Fe; (3:19) an isolated outpost in 1830. Santa Fe was founded by Spanish explorers and missionaries in 1610 (3:24). The area was controlled by the Royal Government in Madrid (3:30) while under Spanish rule and while under Mexican rule it was still considerable distance from the capitol of Mexico City (3:35). Characters Diego Montoya, his father and grandfather are introduced (3:52). His father is an Alcalde; a Mexican judge, and he asks the boy to bring his staff of justice (4:25) to Don Luis who was being summoned to the Alcalde. As Diego heads to fetch the man, he stops upon seeing the arrival of Jessup’s caravan and promptly turns to inform his father (5:23). As Adam pulls Diego inside of the wagon to show him their supplies of soap and cloth (7:51) Jessup heads to pay a tax on the goods with Diego’s father. The Mexican government issued a tax on any goods entering their country and the Americans were able to do whatever they pleased with it after the tax was paid (8:24). Some took their goods farther south, others sold them in wholesale in Santa Fe and some like Jessup set up shops to sell the goods as retail (8:47). Jessup bargains with a man on price for the cloth (9:21) and Diego grabs Adam to watch a traditional Pueblo Indian dance (10:04). The early Spanish priests had attempted to convert the Pueblo Indians to Christianity forbidding them to conduct these ritual dances however many continued to do so in spite of this (10:38). Around the dinner table, Diego’s father tells Jessup the Pueblo Indians had revolted against the Spanish in 1680, sending many of them into retreat until de Vargas returned to the area in 1692 (10:55). Much of the family’s goods had come from Mexico, though the trade was difficult as it was very far (12:02) and Jessup informs them that more and more US goods were to be travelling through to the area. The house set up resembles that of a fortress as the Montoya’s lived far from civilization (13:11). In autumn, fur trappers moved down from the mountains to sell to the Santa Fe traders (13:24). One is seen leading a mule covered with furs and Mexican silver (13:36) which he takes to Jessup to be sold (14:16). A dancing scene ensues at night with participants conducting the lively fandango (15:20). The caravan prepares to head back to Missouri (16:55) though Jessup and Adam would continue to return the following summers (17:49) and eventually remain as merchants in Santa Fe. Diego was to eventually become an Official of the American Government in Santa Fe when it was incorporated into the US territory (17:56). Credits follow (18:20) and the film concludes.

Complete Record: This 1965 Encycloped Brittanica educational film focuses on the Santa Fe Trail; a 19th century route through central North America which connected Missouri and Santa Fe. A span of the area along this route opens the film which Native American tribes had inhabited in 1830 (:19). A herd of Buffalo grazes through the pasture and Native Americans had hunted them for their hides and their meat (:25). A character named Jessup Greg steers a wagon as he was making his third trip across the plane with his brother Adam (:44) to sell goods in Santa Fe. A map follows depicting the United States and Mexican territories in 1830 showing that Santa Fe at the time was still Mexican territory (:59). The Santa Fe trail began at Independence on the Missouri River (1:11) and the wagon route is zoomed in on which spanned 800 miles. Along the trail, there were few landmarks (2:20) or water sources and Native American tribes could be hostile (2:35). Jessup’s wagon gets stuck in a river while attempting to cross. Pockets of quicksand could cost the caravan horses and supplies (2:52). The Mexican flag flies in Santa Fe; (3:19) an isolated outpost in 1830. Santa Fe was founded by Spanish explorers and missionaries in 1610 (3:24). The area was controlled by the Royal Government in Madrid (3:30) while under Spanish rule and while under Mexican rule it was still considerable distance from the capitol of Mexico City (3:35). Characters Diego Montoya, his father and grandfather are introduced (3:52). His father is an Alcalde; a Mexican judge, and he asks the boy to bring his staff of justice (4:25) to Don Luis who was being summoned to the Alcalde. As Diego heads to fetch the man, he stops upon seeing the arrival of Jessup’s caravan and promptly turns to inform his father (5:23). As Adam pulls Diego inside of the wagon to show him their supplies of soap and cloth (7:51) Jessup heads to pay a tax on the goods with Diego’s father. The Mexican government issued a tax on any goods entering their country and the Americans were able to do whatever they pleased with it after the tax was paid (8:24). Some took their goods farther south, others sold them in wholesale in Santa Fe and some like Jessup set up shops to sell the goods as retail (8:47). Jessup bargains with a man on price for the cloth (9:21) and Diego grabs Adam to watch a traditional Pueblo Indian dance (10:04). The early Spanish priests had attempted to convert the Pueblo Indians to Christianity forbidding them to conduct these ritual dances however many continued to do so in spite of this (10:38). Around the dinner table, Diego’s father tells Jessup the Pueblo Indians had revolted against the Spanish in 1680, sending many of them into retreat until de Vargas returned to the area in 1692 (10:55). Much of the family’s goods had come from Mexico, though the trade was difficult as it was very far (12:02) and Jessup informs them that more and more US goods were to be travelling through to the area. The house set up resembles that of a fortress as the Montoya’s lived far from civilization (13:11). In autumn, fur trappers moved down from the mountains to sell to the Santa Fe traders (13:24). One is seen leading a mule covered with furs and Mexican silver (13:36) which he takes to Jessup to be sold (14:16). A dancing scene ensues at night with participants conducting the lively fandango (15:20). The caravan prepares to head back to Missouri (16:55) though Jessup and Adam would continue to return the following summers (17:49) and eventually remain as merchants in Santa Fe. Diego was to eventually become an Official of the American Government in Santa Fe when it was incorporated into the US territory (17:56). Credits follow (18:20) and the film concludes.

Transcription

[Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] in 1830 there was an ocean lying between the western border of missouri and the rocky mountains it was an ocean of grass and flat dry plains this open country was ranged by the wandering tribes of the plains indians the pawnees the osages the comanches herds of buffalo lived off the grass of the plains and were hunted by the indians for their meat and hives this grass-covered ocean had its ships and its sailors hello jessup greg is making his third trip across the plains his brother adam is traveling the santa fe trail for the first time the first wagon train traveled the trail in 1822 each summer since then more and more wagons heavily loaded with freight had crossed the prairie ocean in those early days of the trail the northern border of mexico reached far into north america and the town of santa fe lay well within mexican territory the santa fe trail began at independence on the missouri river the wagons travel southwest across nearly 800 miles until they reach santa fe at the foot of the rocky mountains in between lay a wild and desolate region strange solitary unexplored what are you doing away i thought i heard something you don't hear it now do you no not now it's just that old coyote now you lay down and get some sleep we got a long haul in the morning you sure it wasn't indians yeah i'm sure it wasn't india jessa how much longer is it the santa fe oh we've been out 21 days we got another 25 to go and jessa what do you think ma is doing back home now i was sleeping just like you ought to be lay down and stay there [Music] on the trail there were few landmarks by which to navigate water was scarce [Music] the indians were hostile [Music] a pocket of quicksand at a stream crossing could be treacherous a wagon or animals might be lost or at least the day's travel would be lost while the traders work to get their valuable cargos back on the trail again there was a whole series of obstacles to be met and overcome before the wagon man would finally make port at trail's end the mexican town of santa fe santa fe was an isolated mexican outpost in 1830 it was founded in 1610 by spanish explorers and missionaries under the spanish it had been controlled by the royal government in madrid about 8 000 miles away even now under mexican rule santa fe was over 1500 miles from the capitol in mexico city the spanish people who lived there were true pioneers diego montoya has lived in santa fe all his life so has his father and his grandfather loved diego's father is an alcalde a judge the cane is a symbol of his office anyone who has shown the cane and ordered to come before the alcalde must come many friendly indians lived near santa fe in small villages called pueblos these pueblo indians lived here long before the spanish came [Music] [Laughter] is [Music] so [Music] all right [Music] whoa what is it [Music] [Music] oh no worse than usual i brought my kid brother with me this time very good how many wagons did you bring this time to your friend we got 40 in the train them four in the lead is mine are you ready to pay your custom duties in your as ready as i'll ever be way no vamos adam take care of the team [Applause] huh oh hello want to come up on the wagon with me you can get a better look up there come on look watch [Applause] we have some mighty fine things here oh i see this is soap hold on soap so that's right this is cloth the mexican government taxed all goods brought into their country from the united states once the tax was paid the americans could do what they wished with their goods some of the traders took their wagons farther south into mexico and sold their wares in chihuahua others sold their goods wholesale in santa fe some like jessup greg set up stores in santa fe and spent the summer selling their goods retail santa fe hey i'll be back in a while all right take care now [Music] hey [Music] oh pueblo indian dance was a kind of prayer to their ancient gods a prayer for rain or for good crops or for success in battle the early spanish priests had converted most of the pueblo indians to christianity and forbade them to dance but despite their conversions the indians continued to practice their own customs and sacred rituals in 1680 the pueblo indians revolted against the spanish rule many of the spaniards were killed and many were forced to flee for their lives it came back when in 1692 with the vargas didn't you yes in 1692 with the general how about the indians now do they give you much trouble were the pueblo indians no very seldom and the apaches and comanches oh the apaches and the comanches that's something else my great-grandfather brought the first vine cuttings from spain about a hundred years ago he was a wise man your grandfather and did you bring the candlestick also no senor it came from spain it's been in my family for over 200 years the silverware we have comes from las vegas mexico most of the fine things we have here come from there we have had trade with las vegas mexico for over 100 years but the trade has been hard this distance far the road is very difficult what about the hardware and your farm implements do you get them there also most of what we have we make ourselves as best as we can all of that's going to change senor montoya because more and more american manufactured goods are going to be coming over that side of a trail every year ah it was a fine dinners on your montoya well i'm glad you enjoyed it gracias your weapon i like the house did you build it yourself no senor when i was a little boy my father built it the materials la vigas adobes come from here in santa fe it's a lot different than the houses we got back in missouri oh very much so senor you notice that all the rooms lead to the patio and we have only one door and that's in that wall to the street over there [Applause] yeah you know it's it's feels a little bit like a fort if you live as far from civilization as we do your house must be a fort when the trees began to turn yellow a few american trappers came down from the mountains to sell their furs to the santa fe traders it was almost time for the wagon caravans to head back to missouri for neither men or animals could travel the planes during the bitter cold of the winter months on the return trip the traders would lead back mexican mules and carry mexican silver buffalo rugs blankets and some furs my name is harrison gault and i'm the roughest toughest fightingest mountain man that ever spent the days of youth battling the grizzly bear wrestling the mountain land and fencing with a rattlesnake in the high frozen wilderness of the rocky mountains [Applause] howdy howdy's done those your fruits yes sir nobody else's are you selling are you buying no but my brother is he's inside come on girl i'm logged in come on girl my name is harrison god jessup greg nice to meet you pleased to meet you sir yes sir beauties ain't there not bad what do you want for him well i'm an easy man to deal with joseph greg and my needs are few of course i'll need a little silver to buy me some sugar and some coffee and maybe some uh salt back pork for the winter say what you getting all duded up for fandango tonight how about that [Applause] whatever [Music] wow [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] maybe you should stay here in santa fe i'd like to maybe next year [Applause] [Music] next year you'll see me with 10 wagons instead of four you will be welcomed in your trade [Music] [Applause] foreign oh bye adams bison here greg adios diego the greggs and the montoya's did meet again adam and jessup returned the following summer and eventually settled down as merchants in santa fe diego was to become an official of the american government there when new mexico became a part of the united states from such meetings of the spanish and americans in santa fe there grew a way of life in the american southwest that adopted from both cultures and made them one [Music] so

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