From: bronco3006@webtv.net   
      
   As to the Spanish & French exploration of   
   North America you are on the right path.   
   However our discussion was pertaining to the American Indian after about   
   1805 or so. The Spanish exploration and there attempt to save souls was   
   in about the late 1500 hundreds.There main search was for the seven   
   city's of gold first and any souls they could convert to the christian   
   faith was second. After they ran ruffshod over the Aztec & the other   
   tribes they then went to to look for treasure.   
   The Franciscans monks who traveled with them were the ones looking to   
   force there beliefs on the local population.   
   Approximate 1628 or so as the spanish moved forth into what is now New   
   Mexico & Arizona they came across Hopi who were farmers and traders.   
   They forced there religion on them and then crossed paths with the   
   Navajo who were more a raider type of people. They attempted to convert   
   them also.   
      
   The French were the first white people who had interaction with the   
   Indian people   
   as there fur trappers moved down from Canada. They were the first white   
   people who traveled the great plains and the Rocky Mountain area as well   
   as the west coast tribes. The British were next but took over most of   
   the fur trade as show by the Hudson Bay Co and others.   
                      "OLD" Bill   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)