Unit Four: Spanish Colonial

Section One Notes – Legacy of the Spanish Missions

Where would you build a mission?

What would you need to make it successful?

Settlement in the New World

For many years, the only people that wereexploring and sending people to the New Worldwere the Spanish. But by the early 1600’s, other

countries began to threaten their hold on theNew World, such as France and Great Britain.

Building Missions

In order to protect what they consideredNorthern New Spain, the Spanish sent

missionaries to set up missions, or religiouscommunities, along the borderland. Though

they were built to secure Spain’s claim on theland, they were also to spread Christianity to the

American Indians. They wanted the natives to live inthe missions and it was appealing to many of them.

Reasons to Live at the Mission

• Built by a river, so always near a good water supply• Taught the Native Americans how to grow new

crops• Had dormitories, churches, workrooms, barns,

fields, and gardens• Protected by presidios, or military bases, that were

built nearby• Greater ability to trade with ranchos, or ranches, in

the area

El Camino Real

El Camino Real (which in English means “The Royal Road”), or the Old San Antonio Road, began as a simple footpath between Indian

villages throughout Texas. Later, the Spanish established the expanded the road as a path from Mexico City to the East Texas missions.

Once it was built, it led to the growth of more settlement in Texas. Why do you think that

happened?

The Pueblo Revolt

In the late 1600’s, the Spanish started buildingmissions south of the Rio Grande and among thePueblo Indians in present day New Mexico. Still,

mission life was rough, and a drought andreligious tension caused problems. The Pueblo

Revolt occurred in 1680, forcing the Spanishsettlers out of New Mexico and parts of west

Texas.

Corpus Christi de la Ysleta

In order to retake New Mexico, the Spanish began building even more missions along the Rio Grande River. Corpus Christi de la Ysleta

was the first mission built in Texas in 1682. The mission was established near the Tigua

people, in order to attempt to persuade them to live in the missions. Corpus Christi de la

Ysleta was located outside of present-day El Paso, Texas.

French Settlements

As the Spanish were establishing missions inTexas, France was also trying to claim land in the

New World. Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de LaSalle had already claimed the areas surroundingthe Mississippi River for France. He then asked

for permission to set up a fort at the mouth of theMississippi River. Because a colony so close to Texas

would anger the Spanish, King Louis agreed!

Fort St. Louis

La Salle’s expedition left France in the summerof 1684. On their way to the mouth of the

Mississippi River, they became lost and missedtheir destination. Instead they landed at

Matagorda Bay in February of 1685. The peopledecided to build a settlement several miles inland,which they named Fort St. Louis. It took them overa year to realize that they had landed west of the

Mississippi River.

Disaster at Fort St. Louis

Once arriving in Texas, the people on the La Salleexpedition encountered many problems. Hungerand disease killed many settlers. They were also

frequently attacked by the nearby KarankawaIndians. By July of 1685, more than half the settlers

were dead. La Salle decided to take a group withhim as they headed to Canada for help. On the way,

the men argued about how poorly things hadturned out, and La Salle was killed by one of his

men.

Consequences of Fort St. Louis

Because the French had created a fort in whatwas considered Northern New Spain, the

Spanish worried about the French taking evenmore of their land in the New World. They

decided to send people to East Texas to continueto colonize and claim that land for Spain.

Father Damian Massanet

Also known as Fray Damian Massanet, FatherMassanet was the first missionary to convince the

viceroy of New Spain that they should buildmissions and colonize East Texas. In 1690, FatherMassanet was sent to East Texas with the viceroy

Alonso de Leon and 100 soldiers to build a missionand presidio in East Texas. Many missions were

created in East Texas, but many failed quickly afterbeing founded.

Nuestro San Francisco de los Tejas

Built in 1690, Nuestro San Francisco de los Tejaswas the first mission built in East Texas, nearpresent-day Crockett. This mission was led by

Father Fransico Hidalgo. It was built there in aneffort to spread the Christian religion to the

local Caddo Indians and a nearby Hasinai tribe(which the Spanish called “Tejas”, meaningfriend). After disease hit and the Spaniards

learned that the Native Americans did not wantto become Catholic, the mission failed and was

abandoned.

Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepción

This mission was built in 1716 on the AngelinaRiver in order to communicate with the Ainais

Indians in the area. Because the Frenchattempted to build Fort St. Louis in the area, theSpanish were worried about the French soldiersattacking their mission. The mission was movedand reopened in 1731 in San Antonio. It is still

there today!

San Antonio de Valero

This mission was built in 1718 and is now located in present-day San Antonio. Its site was chosen because it was seen as a good

halfway point for travelers between Mexico City and the missions in East Texas. The chapel

of this mission is famous and now known as the Alamo.

San Antonio de Bexar

San Antonio de Bexar was not a mission, but apresidio built across the river from San Antoniode Valero. Both this presidio and the mission led

to the colonization of a civil settlement in thearea called San Fernando de Bexar. We now call

this settlement San Antonio.

Santa Cruz de San Saba

This mission and presidio was built in 1757 at the request of the Lipan Apache. They told the Spanish they wanted them to build a mission

in the area, and intentionally had them build it on Comanche territory. The Lipans did this in

order to begin a war between the Spanish and the Comanche, who were their enemies. The

mission was quickly destroyed, but the presidio lasted for a few years.

This is what is left of the presidio of Santa Cruz de San Saba.

La Bahia

La Bahia, which included a presidio and a mission near Matagorda Bay, was established in 1722. It was created to settle the lands between the Rio Grande and the Nueces Rivers. The original site of the mission was at the Guadalupe River, but José de Escandón, the military commander and governor of that area, moved the mission. We now call this area Goliad, which was the site of

a famous massacre during the Texas Revolution.

San Juan Bautista

San Juan Bautista was built in 1700 nearpresent-day Eagle Pass along the Rio GrandeRiver. It was important because it was a greatstopping point for explorers coming into Texas

from Mexico City on their expeditions.

Antonio Margil de Jesús

Antonio Margil de Jesús was a Spanish Fransicanpriest. He founded several missions in East Texasincluding Nuestra Seńora de los Dolores and San

Miguel de los Adaes. After leaving due toproblems in East Texas, he later founded SanJose y San Miguel de Aguayo, one of the five

missions that is still in San Antonio today.

San Miguel de Linares de los Adaes

This mission was built in 1717 and was about 15miles from the French settlement of

Natchitoches in present-day Louisiana. It was builtat a time in history when France and Spain were

experiencing tension both in Europe and in the NewWorld. Not long after a war began between Franceand Spain, the Spanish decided to name Los Adaes

as the capital of the new province (or colonial state)of Texas.

Why would they do this?

The Chicken War

The Chicken War

• Cause - French soldiers began attacking Spanish missions in Texas as a result of the war going on in Europe between France and Spain.

One incident at the Spanish mission San Miguel de Linares de los Adaes later labeled

the fight The Chicken War. • Effect - Because the French were attacking

missions, all the missions in East Texas were abandoned.

What do most of the missions have in common?

How did the geographic location of the missions help with the colonization of Texas?

What event happened in 1685 that caused the Spanish to begin to build more missions in East Texas?

What happened in 1718 that was so important to Texas history?