ABSTRACT
Colonialism, which is exploitation of people and land by outside economic and political forces, has been a fact in the Southwest since the 1540s, First, it was the Spanish who came with their guns, horses, and a way of life previously unknown to the native peoples of the present-day O.S. Southwest. The conquistador demanded tribute and loyalty to Spain. Next, as actual colonization began, the demand was made for land, and land was taken, oftentimes the best farming lands of the native people. Development of Indian lands has always resulted in incredible social, cultural, and economic changes. Sandia National Laboratory, where the newest in military weapons design takes place, and Kirtland Air Force Base, combined, create the single largest employer in the city. Albuquerque and New Mexico are experiencing the social impact and most of the same problems that have been created by the kind of economic process undergone by Acoma and Laguna Pueblos.
