Red Shoes was an 18th century Choctaw warrior and diplomat who frequently switched alliances between the French and English settlers depending on who provided more gifts. Martin Ocelotl was a 16th century Mexican priest who was seen as a threat by Spanish authorities for his indigenous religious practices and was eventually banished. Antonio de Gouveia was a 16th century Portuguese priest and adventurer in South America who faced prosecution for his medical practices and stories. Juan de Morga and Gertrudis de Escobar were 17th century mulatto slaves in Mexico - Juan learned to read and write and petitioned for freedom, while Gertrudis faced severe beatings and attempted escape from her slave owners.

1. Reading Journal
Struggle and Survival in
Colonial America
Shane Tremblay

2. Red Shoes: Warrior and Diplomat
 Red Shoes began as an Indian Choctaw
warrior (male), part of a nation of more than
20,000 at the beginning of 18th Century (Early
1700’s)
 Red Shoes lived on the trade frontiers of both
the Spanish and the French in order to get what
he (and his people) wanted
 Society was loosely based on giving gifts

3. Red Shoes Cont…
 Red Shoes was known in the Louisiana and
Mississippi area (where French and Spanish
borders met at the time)
 Red Shoes frequently switched between
loyalty to the French and loyalty to the English
settlers (mostly due to presents or lack of
presents by the French)
 Red Shoes would effectively capture his rival
tribes and sell them into slavery

4. Martin Ocelotl: Clandestine Cult
Leader
 Martin Ocelotl was a native male priest during the time of the
Spanish Christianization of Mexico (Early 1500s) who was
ordered to death by Montezuma
 Martin was seen as a medicine man or shaman by his local
peoples, which immediately got him prosecuted by religious
authorities
 Martin was eventually banished from the new Colonies due to
him being a threat to the Spread of Christianity, but survived
through Individual Defiance
 He accumulated wealth through renting property as well as
selling his farm produce while he was continually harassed
about witchcraft and magic.
 Martin was able to avoid death and work his way around the
system, until he was eventually lost at sea

5. Antonio de Gouveia: Adventurer
and Priest
 Antonio de Gouveia had a very active life to say the least. He
lived during the mid 1500’s after Columbus had already
landed in the New World in South America
 Antonio began as a priest, but soon found himself working
with medicinal healing and mineralogy for money
 Antonio endured much ridicule and religious prosecution due
to his practice (as well as his stories)
 He was sent on Bahia on criminal grounds, however, was
unable to stay out of trouble and was put behind bars in Libson
for 3 years before any judge heard his case

6. Juan de Morga and Gertrudis de
Escobar: Rebellious Slaves
 Juan de Morga and Gertrudis de Escobar lived in
Mexico during the mid 17the Century
 Both were mulatto slaves. Most slave work was either
in the sugar plantations or the silver mines
 Juan de Morga was born a slave, yet he learned to
read and write
 He would write to city authorities after horrendous
beatings by his master, in an effort to free himself (or
at least get a new master)

7. Gertrudis de Escobar
 Gertrudis de Escobar was born in the Mid 17th
Century (1600’s). Her parents died when she was a
young girl, therefore putting her into slavery.
 She worked as a servant in Mexico city and was
beaten many times by her nuns
 Gertrudis was sent to a sugar plantation as a slave
 She was beaten for not working hard enough many
times, and because of this, she made many attempts to
escape but was returned and given up to 300 lashes