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 towns – 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.

Missions

Missions

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 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

THE FRENCH 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 Expedition ended in disaster

La Salle 1682 La Salle claimed the area around the Mississippi River for France Led an expedition in 1684 to establish a settlement near the Mississippi River

La Salle Difficult journey to Louisiana Pirates captured one ship Miss the mouth of the Mississippi River Landed in Matagorda Bay in Texas Move inland and built Ft. St. Louis La Salle started looking around for supplies and found the Rio Grande

Ft. St. Louis La Salle Moved inland & built settlement Struggled to Survive Many died Burned by the Karankawas Realized he missed the Mississippi when he found the Rio Grande When heading back to Canada was murdered by his own soldiers. Blamed for the failure of the settlement

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

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 1689, a Spanish governor named Alonso De Leon led another expedition. A Spanish priest named Father Damian Massanet, accompanied him. In early 1690, these two men, 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 One of the priests of San Francisco de los Tejas, Father Francisco Hidalgo, wanted to return to East Texas. However, the Spanish refused to build another mission there. Hidalgo decided to ask the French to build a mission first. In 1713, the French sent Louis St. Denis to help Father Hidalgo. Both men returned to Spanish settlements on the Rio Grande with many goods they had received from the Indians for trade. The Spanish arrested them and sent them to Mexico City. 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 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

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 Apaches and Comanches raided the supplies wagons Difficult to get supplies to

How to solve the problems Built missions on the San Antonio River as a mid way point Missions included: De Bexar and Alamo Built El Camino Real- only road going from the East missions to Mexico

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

Spanish abandon East Texas War and Expansion France and Spain at War Spanish abandon East Texas Effect Chicken War (June 1719) Aguayo Expedition Spanish re-occupation of East Texas Agreement to separate control of French Louisiana and Spanish Texas Expansion of Spanish settlement (Los Adaes, La Bahía)

Life in Missions

MISSIONS AND PRESIDIOS 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.

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 Diverse populations Consisted of homes, government buildings and stores Economy 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 ayuntamiento, governing council, enforced royal and local laws. The alcalde, served as mayor, sheriff, and judge of small cases.

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.

Life in Spanish Texas Examples of Spanish Influence in Texas 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