1. Missions and Settlements
Chapter 5
Missions and Settlements

2. Section 1 First missions are built
1682- mission of Corpus Christi de la Ysleta- near El Paso
Most missions would be built in East Texas because of the French effort to establish colonies
Built presidios- military outposts

3. A Tejas Mission
San Francisco de los Tejas- established by Father Damian Massanet.
1690 Father and 100 troops set out for East Texas. First Spanish mission in East Texas

4. Mission Abandoned Drought ruined crops Disease
Tejas Indians rejected the missions and the religion of the friars
Spain decided it was too $$ to fund missions
France was not a threat but…
Missions flourished along Rio Grande Valley
Mission San Juan Bautista
3 missions
Presidio
Town
Base form many expeditions

5. Threat from France..again..
French were not interested in taking the land from the Indians or converting them
Wanted to trade
Blankets, guns wine and furs
and skins
Indians wanted to trade with Spanish but law prevented it
Father Hidalgo wrote a letter to the French asking them to establish a mission among the Tejas

6. France France sent St. Denis to negotiate with the Spanish
He was arrested and taken to Mexico City
Spain decided to set up missions in East Texas to protect claims

7. Section 2 Spanish Settlements
1716 St. Denis and Angelina brought settlers to the site of San Francisco de los Tejas
First time Spanish families came to live in East Texas
6 missions will be established
within a year

8. San Antonio is founded
Settlement must be established half way to the East Texas missions
San Antonio de Bexar built 1718
Located on the San Antonio River under leadership of Martin de Alarcon
Mission San Antonio de Valero on the other side of the river- which contained the Alamo

9. Aguayo defends the missions
France and Spain at war
Mission building in East Texas halted
French took over mission in Nacogdoches
Marques de San Miguel de Aguayo sent to defend the missions
Took more than 500 people to Texas and reestablished the abandoned missions

10. Aguayo Founds 2 Cities
Near a French outpost Aguayo will build Nuestra Senora del Pilar de los Adaes – a presidio
100 soldiers and their families
Became the unofficial capital for 50 years
Aguayo also founded La Bahia del Espiritu Santo or La Bahia- near Goliad

11. Uneasy Peace
Again the Spanish government deemed it too expensive to operate all 9 missions in Texas
Reduced presence in East Texas
French continued to trade in East Texas with Indians, irritating Spanish yet remaining peaceful

12. Plains people resent Missions
Indians were not interested in Christianity in East Texas but remained peaceful
Plains Indians resented the intruders
Apaches raided San Antonio
Comanche fought Spanish and captured horses
Central Texas missions were abandoned or moved closer to San Antonio because of raids, disease and crop failure

13. San Saba Mission fails 1757 Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba est.
Very dangerous… Apache and Comanche roamed the area
Friars abandoned the mission
Plains Indians were never “Christianized”

14. Section 3 Building Communities
Life on the missions were busy centers of activity
Offered gifts to Native American’s to get them to settle close by
Indians that accepted mission life were kept busy
Worshipped early
Women wove cloth , molded pottery or cooked

15. Life at missions Friars were strict Food was plentiful
Had animals for food, milk, etc
San Antonio and Goliad produced large harvests
Most Indians were reluctant to live at the missions..giving up their livelihood was difficult

16. Soldiers face Hardships
Difficult and dangerous
Maintaining control over Indians
Scouting countryside
Protecting families
Presidios were often in disrepair

17. Important settlements
San Antonio, Goliad and Los Adades were all important settlements
San Antonio was the largest
Had a representative government
Elected a city council or ayuntamiento with an alcalde or chief official
Spain sent settlers to San Antonio
Many are wealthy women in San Antonio

18. Living in Spanish Texas
Farmers, ranchers- both men and women
Fishers, barbers, shopkeepers
Mestizos also lived in Texas- Indian and Spanish descendants
Some slaves - some free Africans
Free Africans also worked as farmers and ranchers
Most were married but some widows and widowers lived here as well

19. Tejano Heritage Tejanos were shaping Texas heritage
Tejanos were Mexicans who consider Texas their home
Hired teachers
Kept towns sanitary
Culture reflected in food, language, religion and customs

20. Diorama Project
You will chose one of the Texas missions we have discussed and create a diorama, or 2-D image of the settlement.
Your mission must contain landscapes plus the mission and presidio (if it applies)