During the early history of the southwestern United States, a folk art developed that was dependent on two major sources: Old World Spanish tradition and native Indian sensibilities. The areas that comprised what can be called the "Spanish Southwest" were California and New Mexico. By 1610, Santa Fe, New Mexico, was the capital of an area that encompassed most of the southwest region other than California. It was not until the middle of the eighteenth century, however, that Spain took decisive action in occupying the area that is now California. There are three broad historical periods related to the Spanish Southwest: the Spanish period until Mexican Independence in 1821; the period of the Mexican Republic from 1823 to 1846; and the American period beginning in 1848 when Mexico ceded these territories to the United States.
