Have you ever had something that you don’t want BUT you don’t want anyone else to have it! (Think of that last cookie in the cookie jar or the toy in the corner) 1. What do you do to prevent them from getting it? 2. Why don’t you want them to get it?

 Spain had no interest in Texas in 1600s. › The explorers found no gold and no silver in Texas. › BUT….

 Fur trading  Expanding the French Empire

 In 1682 La Salle traveled south from Canada, down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and established fur trades. › He claimed all the land along the Mississippi River for France › He then named it after King Louis XIV... Guess what state it becomes???

 La Salle returned to France to recruit colonists for a new colony he wanted to settle at the mouth of the Mississippi  Upon his return, La Salle and colonists got lost and ended up building a small fort on the shore of current day Matagorda Bay, TX › He named Fort St. Louis  The French flag now flew in Texas  It flew from (5 years)

The small French settlement later to be known as Fort St. Louis consisted only of a two-story building made of salvaged ship timbers, a chapel, and some small structures. Crudely built, the huts offered little protection from the natural elements and even less from the Karankawa.

 La Salle left the colonists while he explored and returned to find disaster in the form of disease, famine, and native attacks  LaSalle took men with him to search for the Mississippi River to get help. › The journey was a failure and his own men killed him in frustration Events

 Back at the fort, the few women and children remaining were killed or captured by the Karankawa. Events

 The settlers were overworked, out of food, had conflicts with the Karankawa and suffered from disease  Only 40 of the 280 settlers were still alive by 1686  France and Spain both claimed Texas

 La Salle’s colony was a failure BUT it alerted Spain to France’s “interest” in Texas.  Why do you think Spain was so concerned about La Salle in Texas?

 If Spain wanted to keep Texas, it must occupy it!  Spain decided missions and settlements were the way to go.

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 1- La Salle comes to Texas (Matagorda Bay) and claims it for France.  2- The French try to settle in Texas (Ft. St. Louis)  3- La Salle is killed by his own men  4- The fort fails and the Karankawa attack  5- Spain discovers the French in Texas  6- Spain’s reaction/What does Spain do? Your comic strip should have 6 panes and show the events of the French attempt to settle in Texas and the effect it had on the Spanish.

In your own words…why did the Spanish decide to begin building missions???

 Spain wanted to protect New Spain from France, Native Americans and England.  Represent the Spanish government in Texas  Teach Native Americans “the Spanish way”

 Spain sent missionaries (priests)to establish missions  Missions were religious communities used to convert Native Americans to Catholicism and to develop settlements in Texas.

 Tried but failed to establish missions in East Texas: › Father Damian Massanet  Successfully established missions in East Texas (20 years later): › Father Francisco Hildago

 Conflict with Native Americans › Some could not adapt › Others attacked  East Texas missions too far away  French threat in East Texas

 San Antonio was established  Camino Real established (The “Royal Road”)  Spanish culture influenced Texas

French ExplorationSpanish Exploration