1.  What made San Antonio the best location for the missions? Why was it better than East Texas?

2. Why San Antonio??  The Spanish were determined to firmly establish the mission system in East Texas.  The problem was the distance  500 miles from nearest Spanish settlements  Difficult to get supplies to the missions  Journey was dangerous – Native attacks  In 1716 Spain decided to set up a mission - presidio midway between east Texas and New Spain… San Antonio!

3.  Spanish officials chose a site on the San Antonio River as the best place for the new settlement. “The best site in the world, with food and abundant irrigation water, rich lands for pasture, plentiful building stone, and excellent timber.” - Spanish Friar

4. “The Royal Road” or “The King’s Highway”

5.  In 1718 Presidio San Antonio de Bexar was built  The construction was led by Martin de Alarcon › Many soldiers brought their families › Men dug irrigation canals for farming (see next slide) › Women tilled the land, cooked, cleaned and cared for children

8. Across the San Antonio River, Mission San Antonio de Valero was built › The mission chapel is now known as… The Alamo

16.  Water  Rich lands  Mild climate  Building material: limestone and timber

17.  It was the largest settlement  It was the1 st to allow people to participate in government

18.  Dams built to create an irrigation system of canals  Spanish aquaducts were constructed

19.  The missions of Texas constructed the first irrigation systems needed especially in Texas to grow crops or raise animals. Although the Spanish usually built the missions near water sources, they still built acequias, aqueducts or canals, to help saturate the dry land and turn it into something functional. These acequias have become some of the oldest irrigation systems still in use in the United States. The mission San Francisco de la Espada constructed an irrigation system, the oldest water system in the United States still in use, for channeling water from Espada Dam and the Aqueduct to the farmlands.

20.  Create a plaque to celebrate the 300 th anniversary of the founding of San Antonio.  What would it say?  Make sure you tell:  Why it was founded  Important people or groups of people  Lasting importance of the founding of S.A.

21. TEXAS

23.  Grab a sheet and start cutting out each event in strips. When you get done, try to arrange the events in chronological order on your desk.  Some have dates, some don’t. Try to make sense of them by their content.