Spanish Missions

SPANISH CONTROL OF THE TEXAS BORDERLANDS To control the Texas borderlands the Spanish built 4 types of settlements: missions – religious communities presidios – military bases settlements – small villages with farmers and merchants ranchos – or ranches

Missions Developed in response to other countries beginning to settle in the United States. The Spanish established these missions to protect its borders, and to spread Christianity. The Spanish built missions near rivers to ensure a good water supply. Missions included churches, dormitories, workrooms, barns, fields, and gardens. Missionaries taught the Indians about Catholicism, and taught them how to farm.

Missions To protect these missions, presidios were established. A presidio is a military base. Soldiers in these bases were generally responsible for protecting several missions. Settlers homes were built near missions, so that they would be well protected. This led to the formation of towns, for example, San Antonio and El Paso. Spaniards lived near missions on ranchos, and raised cattle.

GLUE MAP IN TO JOURNAL

Missions

Missions

New Missions along the Rio Grande In the late 1600’s, the Spanish began building missions just south of the Rio Grande. They also built missions among the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico.

Missions In 1682, the Spanish built the first mission in Texas, just east of present-day El Paso. This mission was called Corpus Christi de la Ysleta.

Spanish Settlements on the Frontier COPY INTO YOUR JOURNAL To control the borderlands Mission System Goal Four types of Spanish settlements Represent Spanish govern- ment there Convert American Indians there to Catholicism Develop settlements there missions, presidios, towns, ranchos

Why the French Interest in Texas? Wanted to gain a port for the fur trade Establish trade with the Spanish colonies To gain a claim to Texas and challenge Spain’s empire Unfortunately, the expeditions led by LaSalle ended in disaster

EFFECT OF THE LA SALLE EXPEDITION Gave France a strong claim to Texas 2nd Flag to fly over Texas (French) Spain sent expeditions to find Ft. St. Louis Spain built missions in East Texas to protect their claim to the land

Activity: Vocabulary Using the new vocabulary, draw a plan for a Spanish Mission, Label the following: Mission Presidio Rancho Settlement

Example

Example

Spanish Missions cont. DAY TWO

Spanish in East Texas Between the years of 1686 and 1687, the Spanish sent six expeditions by land, and five by sea, in an attempt to locate Fort St. Louis. In early 1690, two men Alonso De Leon and Father Damian Massanet along with about 100 soldiers, built the first mission in East Texas. It was called San Francisco de los Tejas. In 1693, after three years of hardships, including drought, disease, and the Indians unwillingness to learn Christianity, the Spaniards burned the mission to the ground and fled to back to Mexico.

Spanish in East Texas A Spanish priests of San Francisco de los Tejas, Father Francisco Hidalgo, requested to build a mission in East Texas, but the Spanish king refused. Hidalgo decided to ask the French to build a mission instead. In 1713, the French sent Louis St. Denis to help Father Hidalgo. Both men returned to Spanish settlements and the Spanish arrested them. Because St. Denis told the Spanish that he was sent to help Father Hidalgo, the Spanish became nervous and began to make plans to return to East Texas.

FAILURE OF SPANISH MISSIONS IN EAST TEXAS Location too remote Floods, droughts, disease Internal conflicts Indians not interested in religious instruction

SAN ANTONIO RIVER AREA San Antonio was seen as a midpoint between the East Texas missions and the Rio Grande settlement Mild climate and location by a river Became the site of the most successful Texas missions and settlements

WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN AFFECTS TEXAS Chicken War – conflict between French and Spanish in Texas where the French attacked Mission San Miguel de Linares de los Adaes. The chickens at the Mission scared the French soldier’s horses and they began to run away. The “chicken attack” was seen as funny to the Spanish, but they retreated just in case. They went to the mission at San Antonio de Valero.

Activity: Chicken War In your journal draw a cartoon of the Chicken War. What do you “predict” would have happened if the chickens had not been there.

Spanish Return to Texas France and Spain decide to work together for the missions in East Texas Spain wants to spread Christianity France wants to trade with the Indians Spain builds 6 new missions

Problems with Spanish Missions Missions were over 500 miles away from Spanish settlements (San Antonio de Valero was built as a mid point for this reason) Apaches and Comanches raided the supplies wagons Difficult to get supplies

Other missions failed because: Successful missions: 1. San Antonio 2. Nacogdoches 3. Los Adaes 4. Goliad Other missions failed because: 1. disease 2. Indian attacks 3. crop failure- hunger

Life in Missions

MISSIONS AND PRESIDIOS Life centered around work and worship Life was harsh, uncomfortable dwellings, little food Life for soldiers was dangerous and difficult

Life in a Missions The day started at dawn with religious services. Indians’ workday began under the direction of the priests The day ended with prayers and dinner This process hardly ever worked, because the Indians refused to let go of their old traditions

Life in a Mission Men tended crops, while the women made pottery, cared for the livestock, wove cloth, and cooked. The dwellings were uncomfortable. People sometimes went hungry.

Spanish Mission DAY THREE

Life in a Presidio

Life in a Presidios Missions were most likely to succeed, if they had a presidio nearby These military outposts were generally made of adobe, stone, and timber. They had a chapel, barracks for soldiers, storage rooms, and a headquarters building. The soldiers were not paid very much, and their uniforms were often dirty and ragged.

LIFE IN SPANISH SETTLEMENTS The mission had diverse populations And they consisted of homes, government buildings and stores The economy was based on farming and ranching Social activities centered around church and family

The economy of the settlements was mostly based on farming and ranching. The cattle business helped San Antonio and other towns grow. Vaqueros, or cowboys, worked on ranches near the settlements. They were well known for their skills at horse riding and cattle handling.

Mission Government The alcalde, served as mayor, sheriff, and judge of small cases. The friars often allowed the Native Americans to vote in local elections and to hold public offices.

SPANISH CULTURE AND TEXAS TODAY Spanish heritage present in Texas architecture and celebrations Apparent in music and food Spanish influence seen in place-names, towns, or rivers Some Spanish missions are still active churches. They laid out the first Texas roads.

Copy this graphic organizer into your journals: Life in Spanish Texas Copy this graphic organizer into your journals: routes of first Texas roads Catholic heritage and missions many Spanish place-names Examples of Spanish Influence in Texas culture (architecture, art, food, language, music) cattle ranching traditions and terms legal traditions