Spanish Rule in Texas! 1682-1821
The Spanish built missions and presidios in an effort to control Texas.
What is are Mission and Presidios? Mission: A religious settlement established by Priests and nuns to convert and education natives in the Spanish culture and Catholic religion Presidios: A fort or military outpost that housed soldiers who protected the settlers.
What Made up a Mission?
What Was Inside? Church Granary (food storage) Carpenter shops Blacksmith shops Tailors Storage for supplies Military Quarters Native American Quarters Officials and religious leader quarters
Spanish Mission in Texas Built near rivers Adequate land for farming Surrounding environment had to have building materials Built by Native Americans; Priests and officials designed them Built close together for protection from the “unknown”
*Friars are Roman Catholic men that belong to a religious group and is dedicated to spreading the Catholic faith *The friars taught the natives about Christianity, the language and customs of Spain, and Spanish farming methods!
East Texas Scare La Salle’s Expedition to the America’s, and building of Fort St. Louis worried the Spanish. Spanish hurried to establish missions, presidios and towns to claim their land. 1699 French return to East Texas To secure the area in 1716, they built Nuestro Padre San Franciso de los tejas and 6 other mission in the area
Location of Fort St. Louis (left) Fort St. Louis Settlement (below)
San Francisco de los Tejas First mission built in East Texas, near the Neches River In late May, Father Damian Massanet, 3 Friars and 100 soldiers arrived in East Texas, greeted by the Native Americas. June 1, 1690 - San Francisco de los Tejas, a crude log building, simple furnishings, was built Two Accomplishments: Its presence strengthened Spain’s claim to Texas It made Spain realize that successful colonies needed families to settle the land
A replica of the original chapel of San Francisco de las Tejas
Reasons for East Texas Missions Failing Despite a promising beginning, San Francisco de los Tejas suffered many set backs Reasons for East Texas Missions Failing Natives never took to the Christian teaching Spanish soldiers treated them badly American Indians died from diseases Floods destroyed Indian’s crops Natives blamed events on Spanish and plotted to kill them The Spanish abandoned the missions and headed west
San Juan Bautista- 1699 5 miles from Rio Grande, near many important water crossing into Texas 3 missions, a presidio and a town all grew from it “The Gateway to Spanish Texas” Soldiers at the presidio protected travelers, supply trains, fought Natives Mission supplied grain, cattle, and horses and served as a listening post for news about the French
San Antonio de Bexar- 1718 There became a high need for a mission mid way between the East and West Texas missions (500 miles apart) San Antonio de Bexar was built on the San Antonio River as a result Families settled permanently here and a town soon developed San Antonio de Valero (known as the Alamo) was built across the river
San Antonio de Valero Became known as: The Alamo
Mission Los Adaes-1721 The governor of Coahuila and Texas, Aguayo, along with 500 soldier-settlers, horses, mules, sheep and cattle marched to East Texas in 1721. Reopened many abandoned missions and built presidio Los Adaes to help Spanish keep an eye on French activity in the area Six cannons, 100 soldiers Became the unofficial capitol of Texas for 50 years.