Texas Missions Mallory Jaryga Integrated Curriculum March 29, 2006

Brief History  1492 – Columbus came to America  Spaniards came to explore American mainland  1500s – Spanish explorers  Cabeza de Vaca and Coronado  reinforced their claim to Texas  Friars were establishing missions  1682 – La Salle led first the European expedition to navigate the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico  Claimed the entire region surrounding the Mississippi for France  France had a claim to Texas  Spaniards feared a French Texas  Decided it was time to settle Texas  Renewed efforts to establish missions and settlements

Mission Corpus Christi de la Ysleta Established in 1682 by Spanish friars Located a few miles east of the present-day El Paso Texas’ oldest mission All that remains is the restored mission church Has changed names several times making it difficult to keep up with

Mission Corpus Christi de la Ysleta

Mission Concepción Started as a mission in 1716 in East Texas moved to San Antonio in 1731 October 1835 – Battle of Concepción 1898 – Teddy Roosevelt trained his Rough riders nearby One of America’s oldest un-restored stone churches Still a parish church today

Mission Concepción

Mission Espada Established in 1690 First mission established in East Texas by the Spanish Abandoned and reestablished several times Moved onto the San Antonio River in 1731 Now the center of the Mission Tejas State Historical Park

Mission Espada

Mission San Juan Originally founded in 1716 in Eastern Texas Transferred in 1731 to its present location Helped support San Antonio missions and local settlements By the mid 1700s, it was a regional supplier of agricultural produce

Mission San Juan

Mission San José Founded in 1720 Reached its peak in 1794 with 350 Indians Completely closed as a mission in 1824 The state’s largest restored mission compound and has the most ornate church façade Still a parish church

Mission San José

Mission Espíritu Santo Founded originally in 1722 on the Texas coast Where Texas cattle business had its rudimentary beginnings Karankawa Indians proved “cantankerous” Moved in 1726 to the Guadalupe River Closed in 1830 Situated in the middle of the Goliad State Historical Park

Mission Espíritu Santo

Presidio La Bahía Fort dates back to 1749 La Bahía’s job to protect Mission Espíritu Santo Site of many skirmishes during the Mexican and Texan revolutions Karankawa Indians not hospitable Moved to the Guadalupe River Goliad

Presidio La Bahía

Resources Information Anderson, Adrian N. et al. Texas and Texans. Columbus: Glencoe/McGraw Hill, Foster, Nancy Haston. The Texas Monthly Guidebooks: Texas Missions, Houston: Gulf Publishing Company, 1995, 150 pgs Pictures