Unit 4 Texas History Review

Missions

· Used by Spain to claim the land in Texas

· Built to Christianize the Native Americans

· Failed for the most part because Native Americans did not want to give up their free lifestyle for the very structured lifestyle at the mission – they were also very suspicious of the Spanish settlers

· Built close to water and other natural resources – they had to use what was available to build their missions – adaptation

· Built using local timber or rocks

· France was threatening to enter Spanish controlled Texas so they reestablished East Texas missions previously closed

· La Bahia was the East Texas presidio that was built to protect missions, but was moved to Goliad in 1749

· Reasons the missions failed include disease, drought, famine, and refusal from the Native Americans to be colonized

· In the 1700s the East Texas missions were closed and moved to San Antonio, some of the settlers refused to move and the town of Nacogdoches was established

· Gateway missions – these were the first successful Spanish missions built south of the Rio Grande in Mexico

People

· Jose Escandon – (1750s) sent into Texas to explore the land for the Spanish government; established the first successful colony in south Texas between the Rio Grande and Nueces Rivers; first governor of Nuevo Santander (which was near present day Laredo.)

· Father Hidalgo – (early 1700s) helped establish Mission San Francisco de los Tejas: was forced back to Gateway Missions when east Texas mission closed; wrote a letter to Governor Cadillac in New Orleans asking him to help the Caddo in East Texas; after St Denis (the French emissary) arrived at the mission Father Hidalgo got his wish and was sent back to East Texas; after the East Texas missions were closed for good he lived at San Antonio de Valero and San Juan Bautista until his death in 1726

· Fray Damian Massanet (1690s)– was one of the first priests to travel to East Texas and meet the Caddo (he gave them the name Tejas because they were friendly,); he kept a detailed journal of his travels with Leon while in East Texas; he convinced the viceroy of Spain to colonize East Texas and build missions there to Christianize the Caddo

· Comanche – this fierce warrior tribe forced weaker tribes, like the Tonkawa onto the missions for protection

· Robert La Salle shipwrecked at Matagorda Bay in, moved up the Lavaca River and built Fort St. Louis which threatened Spanish control of Texas

Vocab

· Presidio – Spanish military fort, that housed soldiers, built to protect missions and missionaries

· Missionary – someone who travels to a foreign land to spread Christianity and do charitable work

· Vaquero – Spanish cowboy or cowhand

Timeline

· 1682 – Corpus Christi de la Ysleta is built – first Spanish mission in Texas

· 1718 – San Antonio is founded – one of 3 successful civil settlements for the Spanish in Texas

· 1720 – Mission San Jose – the Queen of all missions known for its beauty - was built in San Antonio

· 1731 – all East Texas missions are closed for good and moved to San Antonio

· 1749 – Presidio La Bahia is moved to its current site in Goliad

Spanish Influence

· In Texas many of our foods and cities are named from the Spanish language