1680 ’S – 1760 ’S

The Spanish Missions

Mission

Religious communitiesUsed to convert the

American Indians to Catholicism worship, speak English,

read, write, Spanish songs and dances, and farming

Built near riversMost built along the Rio

Grande or in East TexasMany Indians attacked

rather than change their culture

Schedule: 7am-8 am=religious

services 8am-6pm=work 6pm-7pm=prayers

and dinner

Presidios

Military basesBuilt of adobe, stone and timberStockade-wall surrounding the fortProtected several missions from Indian

attacksSoldiers job- protect the mission and

supervise Indians

Civil Settlements and ranchos

Provided products and services for missions and presidios

Well defined streets that led past homes and buildings

Ayuntamiento – governing councilAlcalde – mayor, sheriff, and judge

The French in East Texas

1682 – French explorer La Salle sailed down the Mississippi River and into the Gulf of Mexico Claimed all Mississippi lowlands for France Named the region “Louisiana” for King Louis XIV

In order to expand Louisiana, La Salle also claimed East Texas Shh…it’s a secret Matagorda Bay – Obese-ly Fat

La Salle and Fort St. Louis

Established Fort St. Louis Small houses, fort, chapel with 8

cannons No supplies Attacks by Karankawa

La Salle murdered by his own men

Ended in disasterBut…

Gave France a claim to Texas Challenged Spain's empire north of the

Rio Grande

Spain answers back

Hasinai = TejasAlonso de Leon and Father Massanet claimed East

Texas for SpainBuilt San Francisco de los Tejas to convert the

Tejas Droughts and floods ruin crops Deaths due to disease Tension amongst Spaniards and the Tejas Tejas did not want religious instruction

Spaniards burned mission to ground in 1693First Spanish mission in East Texas ended in

failure

Spain in East Texas

Sent priests, soldiers and their wives, and civilians

Brought gifts for the TejasBuilt Nuestro Padre San Francisco de los

Tejas and five other missions Built Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Tejas

presidio

Spanish in San Antonio

Needed missions in between East Texas and the Rio Grande

Martin de Alarcon (governor or Texas), in 1718, built a mission along the San Antonio River San Antonio de Valero-mission San Antonio de Bexar-presidio Villa de Bexar-civil settlement

Became the most successful missions in TexasNamed road between the East Texas, San

Antonio and the Rio Grande El Camino Real, or the Royal Road

1718! 1718! 1718! 1718! 1718! 1718!

Martin de Alarcon established a mission and presidio at the site of present day San Antonio

Examples of Spanish Influence in Texas

Catholic heritage

and missions

Routes of first Texas roads

Many Spanish

place names

Culture (architectu

re, art, food,

language, music)

Legal traditions

Cattle ranching traditions and terms