Spanish Colonial Era

This unit covers Spain's colonization of Texas, how Spain tried to confirm their claims to the land of Texas, the Mission-Presidio System, and the effect of Spanish interaction with Texas Natives.

New Spain = Texas

Spain Re-Claims Texas

Spain established Missions and Presidios across Texas to prevent the French from claiming the land.
Spain made a big move when they built a huge Presidio on the site of LaSalle's Fort St. Louis.
Alonso de Leon builds that Presidio on the same site to send a message to the French...."Back off of Spains' territory!"

The Mission-Presidio System

Time Period: 1700s to 1821.
The Spanish Colonial Era in Texas began with a system of missions and presidios, designed to spread Christianity and to establish control over the region.
The goal was to make Texas more Spanish and increase settlement there.

Missions

Missions were religious settlements in Texas built to house and work the Native Americans and convert them to Christianity. Missions were run by friars, or religions teachers. The Spanish wanted to transform, or change, the Native Americans by teaching them Christianity and the Spanish way of life.

Presidios

Presidios were military forts, built to protect the missions and help them gain better control of Texas, especially after the French [led by La Salle] had built a fort there.

Spain's Goal

Missions were used to forcefully convert the Native American population in Texas while Presidios would protect the Missions and enforce order.
The Spanish wanted to transform (change) the Native Americans by teaching them Catholicism and the Spanish way of life.
By transforming the Native American way of life and language to that of Spain, the Native Americans lost their identity and would conform (accept) Spain and their way of life.
If the Native Americans of Texas accepted the Spanish way of life there would be less resistance against Spain’s rule….meaning Spain could completely control Texas.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO MAKE TEXAS MORE SPANISH AND INCREASE SETTLEMENT THERE!

Daily Life In The Spanish Missions

Native Americans came to the missions for many reasons, including for food and protection. In exchange, they did most of the work at the missions.
The friars made them follow a strict schedule every day. During part of the day, they taught the local natives about the Catholic faith.
Unfortunately, most of the missions failed because the Native Americans rejected the Spanish religion and culture.
Many of them died from epidemics, which involved the rapid spread of deadly diseases [brought by Spanish soldiers and settlers] that the Native Americans weren’t immune to.
Because there was no easy way for the Missions & Presidios to get resources from Spain, they had to be self-sustaining (meaning that they took care of everything they needed themselves).
Missions also had a lot of cattle (cows) for ranching (raising animals to use for food).
They could use these cows for milk, meat, and used their hide for clothes/furniture.

Missions were built next to rivers to give them easy access to water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing clothes. They also used the rivers for transportation (to move around).
Every big city of Texas was founded (started) on a river.

Impact of Geography: Spanish Missions & Using Their Environment

The different regions of Texas have a variety of geographic features. (Some areas will have more trees, some will have more clay, etc).
The Spaniards would have to use their environment to build their Missions & Presidios.
There was no Supermarket they could go to for all of their needs, they could only use what was available in their immediate area.
For Example, The San Antonio de Valero Mission was made out of Adobe bricks as there was plenty of clay in that area for the Friars to build with.

Spanish Missions In Texas

San Francisco de los Tejas

In 1690, a Spanish friar ("Fray") named Damian Massanet and Spaniard Alonso De Leon established the first East Texas mission.
Spain sent these two men to establish a Mission in an area that France had started to build settlements in. The message to the French was clear, "Texas is SPAIN'S territory, not yours".

San Antonio de Valero

•In 1718, a Spanish expedition traveled into Texas to find a good halfway point between the Rio Grande and the settlements in East Texas. They picked the perfect location on the San Antonio River and established Mission San Antonio de Valero [which would later be nicknamed “The Alamo”].

La Bahia

The Spanish established Mission La Bahia along the coast of Texas in order to convert the Karankawa Native Americans.
Unfortunately for Spain, the Native Americans of the area did not care for the Spanish way of life and would constantly attack the friars and soldiers stationed at the Mission.
By 1749 the Mission La Bahia had to be moved from the coast of Texas to the Guadalupe River due to the increasing number of Native American attacks.

Santa Cruz de San Saba

•The Spanish friars built missions in central Texas, including Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba in 1757. They hoped to have peace with the Lipan Apaches and the war-like Comanches, but relations remained poor. Eventually these missions were abandoned by the Spanish and destroyed by the Comanche.

Problems With The Mission-Presidio System

Most of the missions in Texas failed for a similar reason – the local Native Americans rejected the Spanish religion and culture.
Life in the Presidios was difficult, as well.
The soldiers had to build and maintain the fort. They had to make their own homes, too. Sometimes they had to fight off attacks by angry Native Americans.
Still, some soldiers brought their families to the Presidios.

Decline Of The Mission-Presidio System

•In 1763, France lost a war with Great Britain. As a result, it ceded [formally gave up] the area called Louisiana to Spain.

•The need to protect Texas from France was gone. Spain closed most of its missions and presidios.

•By the late 1790s, only three major Spanish settlements remained: San Antonio, La Bahia, and Nacogdoches.

Spanish Legacy In Texas

•Spanish culture did not spread as well as Spain had hoped. Texas developed its own unique Tejano culture.

•The Spanish introduced the ranching industry to Texas, along with the vaquero, bronco, and lasso.

•Dozens of cities and rivers in Texas have Spanish names, reflecting the original Spanish heritage that lasted hundreds of years.

Dia de los Muertos

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.
Dia de los Muertos is an example of how Spanish and Native American (American Indian) cultures mixed together to form a new cultural celebration.
The holiday is celebrated each year from October 31-November 2. While October 31 is Halloween, November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.

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