Final answer:
Juan de Oñate led the Spanish expedition to New Mexico and was responsible for the Battle of Acoma, where Pueblo people were massacred.
Step-by-step explanation:
The man who led the Spanish expedition to New Mexico and is associated with the violent confrontation known as the Battle of Acoma was Juan de Oñate. Oñate led his men into what we now know as New Mexico in the late 1590s, following orders from King Philip II of Spain. This expedition was part of Spain's efforts to expand its empire in search of riches like gold and silver. Unfortunately, the interactions between the Spanish and the indigenous Pueblo people were often violent, culminating in the Battle of Acoma in 1599, where the Pueblo people suffered greatly. Despite the hopes of the Spanish, New Mexico did not yield the lucrative resources they sought. In 1610, Santa Fe was founded as a Spanish settlement and capital of the Kingdom of New Mexico, bringing further Spanish influence to the region.