The Pueblo Revolt was prompted by many years of barbarism and cruelty by the Spanish towards the Pueblo Indians. This was a revolution for the natives who fought for their freedom from the tyranny and hold the Spanish had on them. Before the Spanish invasion of the Pueblos, the natives thrived in the country. Some of the things the Spanish made the natives do ranged from changing their religious beliefs to nurturing two different communities and others. What caused the Pueblo Revolt, who was involved, and what the outcome of the revolt was are also among the most important aspects of these great battles. By the mid-1500s the native Puebloans had approximately 110 separate pueblos thriving in the region. They lived off advanced agricultural skills and trade with other colonies. In 1680, on the eve of the revolt, the number of Pueblos fell to about forty. Not only did the number of pueblos decline dramatically, but the total population was hit very hard. In about a hundred years the population went from about 80,000 to 17,000 (Roberts 2004 Pgs 29-33). Conditions for the natives were excellent until the invasion led by Juan de Onante began in 1598. Spanish rule had actually begun to take over in 1598 when a man named Juan de Onante began his invasion against the natives. Onante managed to found the first Spanish colony made up of soldiers, women and children. The land he invaded was inhabited by natives but when they had their first colony the Spanish began to segregate the natives into two groups: the “Barbaros” and the “Pueblos”. The Spanish colonization had over 100 communities spread over hundreds of miles. Although they were placed in the middle of the card in their attempt to retake New Mexico later. The Spanish attempted to retake the land twelve years later using peaceful and intimidating tactics with a man named Don Diego de Vargas. Not only were the events that led to the Pope's rebellion, such as the encomienda system, forced labor, and the compulsion to change religion and lifestyle in a short space of time, a great reason for the revolt. The revolt was also a starting point for further rebellions and a model for how to successfully execute a rebellion. When the revolt ended, the Pueblos got what they wanted: to be free from the Spanish and continue to live their own way of life. The following years were very difficult for the Indians starting with the reconstruction of their community. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was the largest and most successful revolt in North American history.