France V. Scholes Papers
Collection
Identifier: MSS-360-BC
Scope and Content
The collection contains assorted research notes, article drafts, teaching notes, maps, offprints, index cards and two books relating to Scholes' work on colonial Mexico, Yucatan, Central America, Latin America and New Mexico. The collection also contains academic correspondence, University of New Mexico related material, family information, miscellaneous items and photographs. The collection casts a new light on his life, travels, colleagues, and relationship with students, and his role as UNM professor, graduate dean and academic vice president, husband and father. His letters with scholars contain important references to Spanish colonial history topics and documents from a variety of archives. The Scholes papers are divided into 5 series.
Research notes, drafts, offprints, 1492-1836. This series is divided into 4 subseries. The New Mexico topics include - the exploration of New Mexico and settlement of the colony, Juan de Oñate and other early governors, the Spanish settlers, missionaries and conversion of the indians, the Franciscans, the role of the Catholic Church, the Camino Real, New Mexico civil government, administration, colonial politics, the Inquisition, (in particular the cases of Governors Bernardo López de Mendizábal and Diego Dionicio de Peñalosa), the military career of Juan Domínguez de Mendoza, New Mexico society, population, economy, history, estancias, the Jumanos, the Pueblo Indians, the Pueblo Revolt, Diego de Vargas, the Apaches, Navajos, Hopi, and the Provincial Internas.
Mexico, New Spain, Cortes, Central America, Latin America - history of the post-Conquest era of Mexico, explorations, expansion, first settlements in New Spain, missions, conversion, the Inquisition, Hernán Cortés, Pedro de Alvarado, Alvarado family, Bernal Diáz de Castillo, Gonzalo de Sandoval, Nuño de Guzman. The South Sea exploration, Nueva Galicia, Michoacán, Oaxaca, the Spanish Reconquista, Columbus, origins of Spanish colonial ideology and policies, the Audiencia, Consejo de Indias, the viceroys, Spanish crown administration, economy, land use, cochineal, treasury, mining, encomiendas, women's rights, tribute, the treatment and protection of the Indians, Indian - Spanish relations, Indian policy, humanism, caciques, Montezuma and the Aztecs, Indian land use, the impact of the Conquest, Codices, origins of African slavery, mestizos, social history, architecture, education, hospitals, and other topics.
Yucatan and Maya area - exploration, settlement, the Mendoza family; the Maya Indians, the founding of the missions, in particular the work of Bishop Diego de Landa, conversion, idolatry, human sacrifice, Indian culture, language, caciques, labor, Indian rights, encomenderos, the Inquisition, church and government conflict, and other topics. Colección de Documentos Inéditos - These documents relate to the conquest of Mexico, Cortes, his soldiers, the early missions, the role of the caciques, treatment of the Indians, collection of tribute and relations between the Spaniards and the Indians in the Valley of Mexico. They are in typed Spanish but not translated.
Correspondence and Miscellaneous, 1917-1979. Official papers and correspondence of Scholes with affiliated institutions, including the University of New Mexico, Harvard, Carnegie Institute, Library of Congress, Tulane and archives abroad as well as letters of friends, students, administrators, scholars and publishers. Miscellaneous - This section has family, personal, and professional material, official documents, miscellaneous newspaper clippings, travel mementos, postcards and prints. See and download - Detailed Finding Guide for more specific descriptions of Contents.
Maps - an extensive collection of maps, primarily of New Mexico and Mexico.
Oversize Books, 1519-1696 - Chilam Balam and Petén Ytza.
Notes, Index Cards, 1492-1836 - handwritten notes by Scholes on historical persons, places, events, documents and books that he came across in teaching and researching.
Research notes, drafts, offprints, 1492-1836. This series is divided into 4 subseries. The New Mexico topics include - the exploration of New Mexico and settlement of the colony, Juan de Oñate and other early governors, the Spanish settlers, missionaries and conversion of the indians, the Franciscans, the role of the Catholic Church, the Camino Real, New Mexico civil government, administration, colonial politics, the Inquisition, (in particular the cases of Governors Bernardo López de Mendizábal and Diego Dionicio de Peñalosa), the military career of Juan Domínguez de Mendoza, New Mexico society, population, economy, history, estancias, the Jumanos, the Pueblo Indians, the Pueblo Revolt, Diego de Vargas, the Apaches, Navajos, Hopi, and the Provincial Internas.
Mexico, New Spain, Cortes, Central America, Latin America - history of the post-Conquest era of Mexico, explorations, expansion, first settlements in New Spain, missions, conversion, the Inquisition, Hernán Cortés, Pedro de Alvarado, Alvarado family, Bernal Diáz de Castillo, Gonzalo de Sandoval, Nuño de Guzman. The South Sea exploration, Nueva Galicia, Michoacán, Oaxaca, the Spanish Reconquista, Columbus, origins of Spanish colonial ideology and policies, the Audiencia, Consejo de Indias, the viceroys, Spanish crown administration, economy, land use, cochineal, treasury, mining, encomiendas, women's rights, tribute, the treatment and protection of the Indians, Indian - Spanish relations, Indian policy, humanism, caciques, Montezuma and the Aztecs, Indian land use, the impact of the Conquest, Codices, origins of African slavery, mestizos, social history, architecture, education, hospitals, and other topics.
Yucatan and Maya area - exploration, settlement, the Mendoza family; the Maya Indians, the founding of the missions, in particular the work of Bishop Diego de Landa, conversion, idolatry, human sacrifice, Indian culture, language, caciques, labor, Indian rights, encomenderos, the Inquisition, church and government conflict, and other topics. Colección de Documentos Inéditos - These documents relate to the conquest of Mexico, Cortes, his soldiers, the early missions, the role of the caciques, treatment of the Indians, collection of tribute and relations between the Spaniards and the Indians in the Valley of Mexico. They are in typed Spanish but not translated.
Correspondence and Miscellaneous, 1917-1979. Official papers and correspondence of Scholes with affiliated institutions, including the University of New Mexico, Harvard, Carnegie Institute, Library of Congress, Tulane and archives abroad as well as letters of friends, students, administrators, scholars and publishers. Miscellaneous - This section has family, personal, and professional material, official documents, miscellaneous newspaper clippings, travel mementos, postcards and prints. See and download - Detailed Finding Guide for more specific descriptions of Contents.
Maps - an extensive collection of maps, primarily of New Mexico and Mexico.
Oversize Books, 1519-1696 - Chilam Balam and Petén Ytza.
Notes, Index Cards, 1492-1836 - handwritten notes by Scholes on historical persons, places, events, documents and books that he came across in teaching and researching.
Dates
- 1492-1979
- Majority of material found within 1521-1700
Creator
Language of Materials
English Spanish
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Biography / History
France V. Scholes was born in Bradford, Illinois, in 1897. He received his degrees from Harvard University. A tuberculosis patient, he came to Albuquerque in 1924. Regaining his health, he taught history at UNM off and on from 1924-1945, and regularly from 1946-1970. In between he received funding to search for colonial documents in the archives of Spain and Mexico, finding many for the history of New Mexico. In addition, he worked for the Library of Congress copying documents in the archives of Mexico. He also headed the Carnegie Post-Columbian History Section and searched for Yucatan and Mayan documents in the archives of Spain, Mexico and Yucatan. The results of these archival searches are evident in his writings and in this collection. In 1946 he was a UNM professor of History, Dean of the Graduate School and the first Academic Vice President. In 1956 he asked to be relieved of administrative duties but continued to teach until retiring in 1970. He continued studying Mexico and Cortes in the archives and was Visiting Professor of History at Tulane University until his death in 1979. A devoted scholar and teacher, he discovered many key documents in the archives, published countless historical pieces, and inspired two generations of new scholars in all three areas of his interest
Extent
54 boxes (24.3 cu. ft) + 16 oversize folders
Abstract
The France V. Scholes Papers contain research and teaching notes, maps and correspondence about the colonial history of Mexico, Yucatan and New Mexico, with some related material about the Caribbean, Central and Latin America. The collection also includes academic and personal information.
Arrangement
Arranged in 5 series:
- Research notes, drafts, offprints, 1492-1836 (subseries: New Mexico; Mexico, New Spain, Cortes, Central America, Latin America; Yucatán-Maya area; Colección de Documentos Inéditos)
- Correspondence and Miscellaneous, 1917-1979 (subseries: Correspondence, Miscellaneous)
- Maps, 1590-1940
- Oversize Books, 1519-1696
- Notes, Index cards, 1492-1836 (subseries: Historical data; Archival sources)
Detailed Finding Aid
View a more detailed finding aid to this collection in PDF.
Separated Material
Photographs transferred to France V. Scholes Pictorial Collection.
Selected maps transferred to CSWR Map Collection at Map and Geographic Information Center, Centennial Science and Engineering Library, University of New Mexico. See detailed list.
Selected maps transferred to CSWR Map Collection at Map and Geographic Information Center, Centennial Science and Engineering Library, University of New Mexico. See detailed list.
General
View a more detailed finding aid to this collection in PDF format.
- Apaches -- History
- Aztecs -- History
- Caciques (Indian leaders) -- Mexico
- Catholic Church -- Mexico
- Church and state -- New Mexico
- Conversion -- Christianity
- Cortés, Hernán, 1485-1547
- Domínguez de Mendoza, Juan, 1627-1693
- El Paso (Tex.) -- History
- Encomenderos -- Mexico|xHistory
- Franciscans -- History
- Governors -- New Mexico
- Hospitals -- Mexico
- Indians of Mexico -- History -- 16th century
- Indians of Mexico -- History -- 17th century
- Inquisition -- New Mexico -- History
- Jumanos Indians -- History
- Landa, Diego de, 1524-1579
- López de Mendizábal, Bernardo
- Mayas -- History
- Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540.
- Mexico -- History -- Spanish Colony, 1519-1540.
- New Mexico -- Church History
- New Mexico -- History -- 16th century
- New Mexico -- History -- 17th century
- Oñate, Juan de, 1549?-1624
- Peñalosa, Diego Dionisio de, 1624-1687
- Pueblo Indians -- History
- Santa Fe (N.M.) -- History.
- Spain -- Colonies -- America -- Administration
- Spaniards -- New Mexico -- History
- Yucatan Peninsula -- History.
Creator
- Title
- Finding Aid of the France V. Scholes Papers, 1492-1979
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Nancy Brown-Martinez
- Date
- © 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu