Texas History
Fort Burrows, B&B Ranch
4.1 1682 – 1821 Missions and Presidios
READpgs 78 – 85
“ In the 1500s, Spain was the dominate European power in the Americas. A growing French presence in the Louisiana Territory, however, made the Spanish nervous about the French intentions in Texas. The Spanish government sought to strengthen its claim on Texas by building missions and presidios. Despite their efforts, the Spaniards never gained a strong hold on this region. Native Americans continued to outnumber them.”
Timeline:1682 – Spanish build mission ‘Corpus Christi de la Ysleta’ [El Paso]
1690 – Missions ‘ El Santisimo Nombre’ and San Francisco de los Tejas
[Houston County]
1716 – mission ‘Los Adaes’ ( los ah-DAH-ehs ) [Nacogoches]
1718 – mission San Antonio de Valero [San Antonio – the Alamo]
1719 – Spain & France war
1722 – mission ‘La Bahia’ (the bay) [Goliad and Matagorda Bay]
1757 – mission ‘Santa Cruz de San Saba [San Saba]
1762 – France cedes Louisiana to Spain
1776 – American Revolution
1803 – Louisiana Purchase
1821 – Mexico gains Independence from Spain
Main Idea: The Spanish built missions and presidios in an effort to control Texas.
SPAIN BUILDS MISSIONS1) Spread Christianity
(Roman-Catholic) / 2) Teach Spanish Customs to the Native American / 3) Build new settlements
( New Spaniards)
Glory & Settlers !!!!
Vocabulary:
mission - settlement set up in Indian Territory, ran by Spanish friars, and paidfor
by the Spanish government
friar – members of the clergy (preachers) that taught Christianity to the Indians
presidio – Forts built around missions, which offered safety from un-friendly
Indians
NOTE: Presidio, Texas is the oldest continuously cultivated area in Texas. On the Rio Grande about 250 miles from Odessa,South of Interstate 20. It has been inhabited since 1500 BC. Daddy de Vaca came through in 1535 and placed a ‘cross’ on the mountain side. He called the area La Junta de las Cruces. Today, it is a small community of about 4,100 people. Their most current highlightwas wireless internet WiFi in September 2006.
Setting the Scene – When Spanish officials heard about the fort built by a Frenchman named La Salle, they sent expeditions to destroy it. Alfonso de Leon found the remains of the fort. The Spanish found no French speaking people living at the fort. However, finding the fort made the Spanish very nervous about French ambitions in Texas.
Cause and Effect of Mexican Mission-Presidio System in Texas
CauseThe Spanish wanted to convert Indians to Christianity
The Spanish wanted to teach Indians the Spanish way of life
Spain wanted Spanish culture to spread in Texas / The
mission-
presidio
system
was
born / Effect
Indians became the main labor source and could be punished for not working
Indians were protected from their enemies
Indians had a steady food supply
Spanish communities grew around the missions
Indians became sick with European diseases, causing entire tribes to die out
Spanish culture continued to influence Texas after Spain closed the missions
The Mission-Presidio System
The goal of the mission was to transform Native Americans into Christians and loyal Spanish subjects
Friars ran the missions
Invited Indians to live at the missions to teach them Christianity
Taught them their languageand farming methods in hopes the Indians would adopt the Spanish way of life
It helped control the Native Americans in and around the mission
Strengthened Spain’s hold on Texas by building settlements
Presidios were Forts that were built near the Missions for protection
The 1st Missions in Texas
1st - 1682, Corpus Christi de la YsletaMission
Built among the Tigua Indians, near present day El Paso (nowhere near the present day Corpus Christi)
2nd - 1690, San Francisco de los TejasMission
Alonso de León and Father Damian Massanet established the first mission in East Texas
East Texas, Caddo Indians said Tay-yas, ( friend ), so the Spanish called it Tejas
3rd - Footnote:1690, El Santisimo Nombre de Maria Mission
It was established shortly after de los Tejas, but not much more is known about this mission
This mission was set up to keep the French (La Salle) from claiming this area
The Caddo people never fully took to the teachings of the friars
The Spanish soldiers had contempt ( they thought the Indians were low-class )
The Indians became sick from Spanish disease
A series of floods destroyed the Indianscrops and they BLAMED the Spanish
The Spanish abandoned these missions – they buried the mission bell, burned the mission down, and headed West
Missions in the 1700s
A Frenchman named Saint Denis (da KNEE), worked with a Spanish missionary, Father Hidalgo, to help build more missions among the Caddo Indians in East Texas
Saint Denis established 6 missions and 1 presidio in Texas
4th - 1716,Los Adaes Mission
Itwas built in East Texas
The Spanish made this their capital,the province of Texas
Here they hoped to keep an eye on French activity
The French raided this mission in 1719. This was called the Chicken War. This caused the Spanish to once again abandon the missions of East Texas
5th - They retreated to San Antonio de Valero ( the Alamo )
This mission was located halfway between the Rio Grande and East Texas on the El Camino Real ( Highway from Mexico to East Texas)
A good stopping point for the Spanish as the traveled in and around Texas
When the war between Spain and France ended, the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo helped Spain regain control of East Texas. He rebuilt old missions and founded new ones, including 6th -La Bahía
Missions in Central Texas
7th -Santa Cruz San Saba Mission – 1757
Built for the Apaches in Central Texas
Spanish missions in Central Texas were often raided by Lipan Apaches, Comanches, Wichitas, and Tonkawas.
Reasons to build for the Apaches:
Raids to kill soldiers and steal the horses and cattle
Comanche pushed the Lipan Apaches South, Lipan Apaches pushed Spaniards South
Lipan Apache agree to become Christians if a mission was built to protect them from the Comanches. ( This was a trick, the Apaches were hoping to start a war between the Commanches and Spaniards)
The Spanish built a mission, Santa Cruz de San Sabá, for the Lipans. They did not realize it was in Comanche territory
Because the Comanche were enemies with the Apache, they along with Wichitas and Tonkawas, attacked the mission in 1758. They burned down the mission killing most of the missionaries
1718, San Antonio de Valero Mission
This mission was built halfway between the Rio Grande and East Texas
The Presidio built near San Antonio de Valero was
San Antonio de Bexar (ba-air)
Bexar - {Mexican} and – Behar – [Spanish]
Today San Antonio, Texas is the county seat of Bexar County
Answer Questions for Test and Review Sheet
1. What is the purpose of a presidio?
A. to protect settlers’ land rights
B. to teach Christianity to local peoples
C. to provide a place for settlers to trade goods
D. to protect a mission
2.Why did the Lipans want Santa Cruz de San Sabá Mission built on Comanche land?
A. they believed the land truly belonged to the Lipan Apaches
B. they wanted to start a war between the Spanish and the Comanches
C. they wanted to convert the Comanches to Christianity
D. they did not know the land belonged to the Comanches
3. How successful was the los Tejas mission in East Texas?
______
______
4. How did St. Denis help the Spanish mission system grow?
______
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