Ask About Santa Fe: 464 Essential Questions and Their Answers about This City and the State of New Mexico

By James J. Raciti

Using a question-and-answer format, this book follows the development of Santa Fe, a city that lived under several flags before New Mexico was finally admitted into the Union in 1912 as the 47th state. It is also about great leaders who knew the price of sacrifice and terrible tyrants who used their power for personal gain only. Covering a broad sweep of history beginning with the area's first settlers, both Native American and Spaniards, it explores Spain's forays into the American Southwest from its base in New Spain (colonial Mexico); its quest for gold and other precious metals; and its desire to save native souls by baptism and conversion to Catholicism. Many historical figures are briefly introduced including Don Juan de O?ate; Don Pedro de Peralta; Don Diego de Vargas; Pop?, Leader of the Pueblo Revolt; Archbishop Lamy; Kit Carson; Governor Lew Wallace, author of "Ben-Hur"; the outlaw Billy the Kid and Geronimo. Other topics treated are The Santa Fe Trail and the contribution it made to the region's growth and prosperity; the brave Buffalo Soldiers; Civil War battles and the men who fought them; the coming of the railroad; and finally statehood. The author says, "My efforts here have been modest. I simply wanted to focus on aspects of the life and culture of people who inhabited these lands and those of the people who came seeking fame and wealth but stayed to leave a lasting mark on customs, language, and religion. "Ask about Santa Fe" only scratches the surface of a subject that hopefully will entice readers to explore further the origins of the nation's oldest capitol city within a state of remarkable achievement."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1632930307
• ISBN13: 9781632930309
• Release Date: December 2014
• Publisher: Sunstone Press
• Length: 146 Pages
• Weight: 0.49 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great primer of Santa Fe history

Nice quick overview of the history of Santa Fe specifically and of New Mexico & the Southwest more generally when the situation applied. The question-and-answer format kept drawing my attention forward, making it a very quick but understandable read. It's no easy feat to cover 400+ years of history in 140 pages, but this is a great introduction. There's also a nice selection of recommended books listed at the end if one wants to investigate a particular period or periods in more depth (which I intend to do). A pleasant and educational experience!