Spanish Missions in Texas 1650-1800

Race to Claim Texas After La Salle established Fort Saint Louis in Texas for France, a tug of war over the territory developed between France and Spain. Spain Texas France La Salle

In 1689 Spaniard Alonso de Leon finds the remains of Fort St. Louis In 1689 Spaniard Alonso de Leon finds the remains of Fort St. Louis. He continues on to East Texas looking for La Salle. Alonso de Leon reported favorably on the land of East Texas and the Caddo Indians Father Damian Massanet who was with de Leon requested help from Mexico City to convert the Caddo, or the Tejas as they called them, to Catholicism

Missions The mission was Spain’s main tool for colonizing Texas. Their purpose was to convert Native Texans to the Catholic faith, In addition the mission workers attempted to convert the natives into Spanish subjects. Missions in Texas were supported by the Catholic church, but they were designed to be self sufficient. They also would help keep the French out of Texas Self Sufficient: Not requiring any outside help

Most missions in Texas consisted of a square compound enclosed by four walls. They also had a main chapel which was at the center of life in the mission. Early missions were small and made of wood. While later missions were large and built with stone. The land around the mission was also used for animals and growing crops for food.

Spain’s First East Texas Mission In 1690 de Leon and Massanet , a few other priest and 100 soldiers set off to build a mission in east Texas. They build the Mission San Francisco de los Tejas near modern Nacogdoches Reconstruction of San Francisco de los Tejas

A year later the mission was in trouble A year later the mission was in trouble. Drought had caused the crops to fail. Disease caused the Native Texans to become hostile & they refused to work in the missions The Mission could not survive so in 1693 it was abandoned.

The Caddo didn’t like the missions because Disease killed them They were forced to abandon their way of life The Caddo had to do all the work around the mission

The French Return By 1700 the French return to Louisiana and developed trading relationship with Native Americans In 1713 Spanish Priest Father Francisco Hidalgo asked French priests to provide churches to East Texas Natives The French sent Louis de St. Denis to visit Father Hidalgo and find out if the Spanish were giving Tejas to the French.

Big Playa France and Spain were at war in Europe The Spanish government had St. Denis arrested for entering Spanish territory. St. Denis talked his way out of jail, married the Spanish Governors step-daughter, and convinced the Spanish to reopen their East Texas mission. St. Denis helped them in establishing new missions. Louis Juchereau de St. Denis Big Playa

Spain Reclaims East Texas With St. Denis’s help, in 1716 San Francisco de los Tejas was reopened A mid-point for supply caravans was needed. In modern day San Antonio the Mission San Antonio de Valero and the Mission San Antonio de Bexar was built. Valero would become the Alamo Caravan: Supply wagons

w Mission San Antonio de Valero

The Chicken War East Texas missions were unsuccessful because of the same reasons as before. The Indians didn’t want to live in them. In 1719 French Lt. Philippe Blondel “invaded” Texas with 6 soldiers. They captured a mission near Nacogdoches.

Blondel and his men looted the mission and Blondel took and tied a few chickens to his saddle. The chickens made his horse buck (jump) and Blondel fell from his horse. The Spanish missionaries escaped when this happened. Loot: Steal valuables

The Incident referred to as “The Chicken War” The escaped Spanish exaggerated the news claiming that a huge French army was invading The Spanish panicked and retreated back to San Antonio abandoning East Texas The Spanish realized how weak they were in Texas

Spain reacts to the “Chicken War” After the Chicken War the Spanish army reestablishes Spanish authority in East Texas in 1721 It builds the Presidio (Fort) San Jose in San Antonio and greatly increases the amount of troops in Texas

Mission San Jose

Painting of the Presidio La Bahia Presidios The main purpose of a presidio was to protect missions attacks, as presidios were military bases. Painting of the Presidio La Bahia Soldiers in the Presidio often lived a hard life. They were paid poorly and often had to take jobs in the community. After their ten year enlistment, many soldiers obtained land in Texas and settled down with their family. Enlistment: Time you sign up for in the army

Spanish Strongholds in East Texas are Established By 1721 abandoned missions were reopened and guarded by hundreds of soldiers. Presidio Los Adaes became the capital of newly created province of Texas (Natchitoches LA.) NAK-ə-təsh Texas was now secured by Spain

Los Adaes

Spain needed new settlers for Texas to grow and survive In 1731 Spain sent 55 people from the Canary Islands to settle San Antonio Colonists Arrive

France No Longer a Threat Over the next 20 years relations with France became more peaceful Spanish focus on missionary work French focus on trade

To reduce costs Spain reduced troops in East Texas Without military protection from Indians, the East Texas missions could not survive Many moved closer to San Antonio

San Saba Massacre In 1757 the Mission San Saba was built but it was unsuccessful in converting the Lipan Apaches In 1758 Comanche attacked San Saba, killing the priests and soldiers

San Saba Massacre

Spain Seeks Revenge The Spanish sent Col. Ortiz Parilla and 500 soldiers to lead an attack on the Comanche near the Red River. Despite their advanced weapons, the Spanish were defeated The Spanish lost because they fought on foot while the Comanche fought on horseback

The King makes changes Meanwhile between 1754-1763 France and England fought a war over their North American territory! France lost! After the war, Spain acquired all of Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. Spain now controlled Louisiana and Texas In 1767 the King of Spain Carlos III, sent the Marques de Rubi to inspect Texas. Marques de Rubi

Spanish Territory English Territory

The Rubi Report Found: A) French were no longer a threat B) The capital should be moved from Los Adaes to San Antonio (East to Central Texas) C) Spain should form an alliance with Comanche against the Apache

Founding of Nacogdoches In 1779, Antonio Gil Y'Barbo (e-barvo) founded Nacogdoches with the settlement of 350 people at the location of the abandoned East Texas missions.

The Five Missions of San Antonio LIFE IN SPANISH TEXAS The Five Missions of San Antonio The Alamo (1718) San Jose (1720) Photo Credits: The photograph of the Alamo is provided courtesy Roger Burgess. Images of missions San Jose, San Juan, Concepcion, and Espada are provided courtesy the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Concepcion (1731) Espada (1731) San Juan (1731)

Spanish Settlement in Texas Life in the Spanish Missions

Daily Life in the Mission Morning Prayers Instruction in the Catholic faith Breakfast Work all day in the fields, kitchen, or in the workshops The Native Texans that became part of the mission were often punished by the priest if they did not follow rules. One of the few tribes that did convert was the Coahuiltecans in South Texas

The front of Mission Concepción near San Antonio Spanish Texans The Franciscan order of the Catholic Church ran the Missions. The Indians who were converted became Hispanics or “turned Spanish” The front of Mission Concepción near San Antonio

The San Antonio Missions

The Espada Dam was constructed in 1745 By 1800, only about 3,500 colonists were living in Texas. Most lived in San Antonio and Nacogdoches. The Spanish also developed towns near Presidio La Bahia (Near Victoria) and Laredo. These towns used whatever they could find to create buildings and they often dug acequias (A ditch dug for irrigation) to bring water to the towns. Acequia (ah-SAY-key-uh) The best preserved of the San Antonio acequias is the one near Mission Espada The Espada Dam was constructed in 1745

= Spanish Government ALCALDE The alcalde was the name for the Spanish official that acted as a mayor, sheriff and judge for the town. The ayuntamiento was the name for the town counsel.

People in towns usually were made up of former presidio soldiers and native Texans that had adapted to Spanish life. They were usually uneducated, as only priest and government officials were literate (could read). Women in the towns were important as they helped with farm and ranch duties as well as preparing food, making clothes, and teaching morals and values to children. Married women in Texas were able to keep property they owned before they were married and owned property separate from their husbands.

Pobladores (towns people) celebrated with horse racing, dances, singing, and telling folk tales. Life in a town could be very hard. There was always the threat of attack. In addition, without running water, sewage was a problem, and therefore disease was always a threat. Muddy streets and standing water helped mosquitoes thrive.

Ruins of a Spanish Colonial Hacienda in Zapata county Haciendas Some settlers started Haciendas, which is a ranch in Spanish territory Ranching took hold in Texas because it was easier than farming. it took only a few workers to man a ranch. Ruins of a Spanish Colonial Hacienda in Zapata county

The Spanish Vaqueros were the original cowboys. Spain began to encourage the cattle industry by given land grants to cattle ranchers. The vaqueros (cowboys) developed many techniques still used today to control livestock. The Spanish Vaqueros were the original cowboys.

End of the Missions and Preservation By the early 1800’s the Franciscans secularized (turned over control) the missions to the Hispanic townspeople of Texas. The Missions fell into disrepair. In the early 1900’s, Adina de Zavala led an effort to save them. They became part of the National Park system in 1975 Adina de Zavala

The Alamo as a U.S. Army depot in 1867

The Fight to Preserve the Missions