A widespread impression exists that the Spanish conquerors were brutal, and Spain’s further rule of this continent needlessly oppressive. What are the facts? With any gift of imagination we have only to picture to ourselves the problem confronting the Spaniards, in order to recognize the enormous difficulties which practically offered but two alternatives: either complete annihilation of the aboriginal race, or its gradual training and absorption into a more coherent and civilized nation. “The Spaniard, to his lasting honor, accepted the alternative of assimilation, and although he sometimes faltered in his high purpose and was often guilty of cruelty, oppression and the rankest injustice,” yet we have the keynote of the Spanish system in the last will of Queen Isabella, signed by her the day before her death, in 1504.[71] This will was quoted by Charles V when he founded schools for the instruction of the natives as early as 1550. To close and summarize this sketch of the early Spanish régime, I quote from Bolton: As their first and primary task the missionaries spread the Faith. But in addition, designedly or incidentally, they explored the frontiers, promoted their occupation, defended them and the interior settlements, taught the Indians the Spanish language, and disciplined them in good manners, in the rudiments of European crafts, of agriculture, and even of self-government. In spite of the general unity of the aims of Church and State, the friars and secular officials did not always agree. Royal agents on the frontier were not altogether perfect. There were conflicts of jurisdiction and many manifestations of the ordinary weaknesses of human nature. Such differences arose in New Mexico at the very outset, between Oñate and the missionaries. They marred harmony and impeded progress toward desirable ends. But quarrels assume an exaggerated proportion in the early annals, because they produced and left behind more voluminous documentary evidence than times of peace. So to the conquered pueblos Oñate and the Commissioners sent the missionaries. Fray Andres Corchado was assigned to Ácoma, together with Sía, Zuñi, Moqui and other towns. It was an enormous district for one man to cover. Very little is known of Fray Corchado’s work in Ácoma. Hodge concludes that no mission churches were built at this time. If that be true, it is probable that no more than a temporary adobe was dedicated to Fray Corchado’s use for lodgings and for church services in the Sky City.