Life in Spanish Texas

Essential Question: What makes a culture unique?

Video of how the Spanish attempted to convert Native Americans to Catholicism

Mission Life: Friars

• Friars: Daily lives were routine and well ordered.• Jobs of the Friars: • Bring Native Americans into the mission so they would

adopt its routine or work, prayer, and meals.• Teach Native Americans the Spanish language and

customs, farming and ranching, as well as trades (masonry, blacksmithing, pottery making, weaving)

• Make the Natives accept Catholicism and be baptized• Provided the religious needs of Spanish soldiers and

settlers

During the colonization period, Spain established missions in order to

A. Provide lodging for Spanish soldiers and citizens of Spain

B. Learn new ways of farming from Native TexansC. Teach Native Texans new skills and convert them

to the Catholic religionD. Provide Native Texans protection from French

attacks

C

• …it forms a perfect square, is built of stone, and on each of the four sides, 600 feet in length, there is an entrance. On diagonal corners there are two towers, each of which protects two sides of the building. The living quarters for the Indians, which form a part of the outer wall, are from 15 to 18 feet in length, 12 in width.

This excerpt from Father de Solis’ diary and the visual most likely describe a

A. French trading postB. Spanish missionC. Spanish settlementD. Native American village

B

Mission Life: Native Americans

• Native Americans: Not forced to live at a mission (agreed to stay for protection from enemies)

• Could leave the mission to practice traditions (their own cultural events, hunting, or trading)

• Life at the Mission:• Began the day with prayer and religious instruction

followed by breakfast• Then, it was time to work (farming, tending livestock,

learning a trade or craft)• At noon, gathered for lunch, rested, and then returned to

work until sundown.• After more religious practice, they ate and then slept.

A Soldier’s Life• Alternated between excitement and boredom• Jobs of the Soldiers:• Protect the mission and settlers from attacks by the

French and raids by Native Americans• Sometimes sent out to help bring Natives who left

back to the missions• Conducted supply trains• Escorted groups of settlers• Carried the mail• Routine tasks (tending horses • and maintaining the presidio)• Guard duty

A Soldier’s Life

• Pay was low and often late due to the isolated locations of presidios• Had to buy their own uniforms, guns,

ammunition, and food• Bought supplies from officers who

overcharged, forcing soldiers to stay to pay off debts

Life for a presidio soldier was difficult because they …

A. Were in constant danger and received little pay.

B. Relied on the priests to provide their uniforms, weapons, and equipment.

C. Were unable to marry or have childrenD. Had to live on the missions with the Native

AmericansA

• Provide military support for missions and settlements

• Protect colonists from attacks by Native Texans• Four tall walls and lookout points at each corner• Barracks for soldiers and a chapel

The information above describes a A. Spanish missionB. PresidioC. French fortD. Spanish town

B

Settlements and a New Heritage

• Settlers were often the wives and children of the soldiers.

• As settlements grew, they attracted craft workers and merchants.• San Antonio (Hired teachers, founded the

community’s first school)• Races and cultures mingled and mixed (Spanish,

Mexican, Native American, and African ancestry intermarried and raised children)

Settlements and a New Heritage

• Locations of missions were far enough from Mexico that residents began to develop a unique culture • Tejanos (Mexicans in Texas)• Mestizos (mixed Spanish and Native American

heritage)• Both enslaved and free African Americans

Life for Native Americans

• Advantages of Mission Life:• Protection from enemies• Greater and more dependable supply of

food• Maintain their own traditions (hunting and

trading)

Life for Native Americans

• Reasons why many missions failed:• Disinterest• Disease• Enjoyed their traditional lifestyles (their way

of living)• Deaths from diseases

Which of the following reasons made it difficult for native Texans to adapt to mission life?A. Native Texans were not good farmersB. Native Texans were afraid of the priests.C. Native Texans were asked to change

their way of lifeD. Native Texans wanted to live in one

place.

C

What is the best title for the graphic above?A. Era of French Exploration and Settlement in TexasB. Era of Native American Migration in TexasC. Spanish Colonial EraD. Anglo Colonization of Texas Era

C

?Dates Defining Characteristics

Important People

1690-Late 1700s

Mission Building Fray Damian MassanetJose de EscandonAntonio Margil de JesusFrancisco Hidalgo

1718 San Antonio Father Olivares and Alcaron built the Alamo

1719 Chicken Wars Blondel (French) Ramon ordered the retreat to San Antonio

1821 Mexican Independence

Father Miguel Hidalgo