Marriage, Sexuality and Power in New Mexico,

  A person without honor was worse than dead in New Mexico  To the Spanish, slavery was an uplifting privilege “so that the captives can be instructed in Our Holy Catholic Faith” Honor & Social Status

  Honor was strictly a male attribute, while shame was female  Infractions were dishonoring, and the shamelessness of a female reflected on the male head of a household and dishonored the whole group Honor & Virtue

  Arranged marriages were dictated by both the person’s status and by each family’s fertility history  The number of children, their birth order, and of course their sex dictated the options parents had in arranging such a marriage Honor & Marriage

  Between 1694 and 1846, there are 6558 extant diligencia matrimonial in New Mexico  Though 3294 genízaro slaves entered the territory during the same time period, only 20 slave marriages were recorded Marriage & the Church

  A negative decision came quickly by saying nos dieron calabazas (“they gave us pumpkins”)  A positive decision always came 15 days after the proposal  The use of a ring as a mark of a marital contract has a long history Spanish Wedding Tradition

  When King Charles III took the throne in 1759, he instituted the Bourbon Reforms  This included increased taxation, colonizing marginal areas, fortifying defenses and stripping the Church of its privileges Bourbon Reforms