Explorers and Settlers Spanish Settlements p 124 Missions

Explorers and Settlers Spanish Settlements p. 124

Missions are Established in East Texas • Within a year, the Spanish had established 6 missions and a small fort in east Texas.

San Antonio is Founded • Spanish officials realized the need for a mission midway between New Spain and the new missions. • Presidio San Antonio de Bexar was set up near the San Antonio River in 1718. Later called San Antonio. • Mission San Antonio de Valero was built a few years later. This mission became known as the Alamo.

Aguayo Defends the Missions • War broke out between Spain and France in 1719 • This halted the settling of East Texas. • French soldiers from Louisiana seized the Spanish mission near present day Nacogdoches. • The viceroy of New Spain sent Marques de San Miguel de Aguayo to take back East Texas.

Aguayo Defends the Missions • Aguayo was the governor of the provinces of Coahuila and Texas. • Aguayo marched 500 soldiers, thousands of horses and mules, and large herds of sheep and cattle to Texas. • He moved Presidio Nuestra Senora de los Delores to the Angelina River.

Aguayo Founds Two Cities • Aguayo built a large presidio, Nuestra Senora del Pilar de los Adaes, in Louisiana. • French commander St. Denis claimed the presidio was in French territory, but never tried to drive them away. • Aguayo established Los Adaes which became the unofficial capital of Texas in 1722 and remained it for 50 years.

Aguayo Founds Two Cities • Aguayo also established a mission near the ruins of Fort Saint Louis, established by La Salle. • It later was moved near present day Goliad and named La Bahia del Espiritu Santo.

An Uneasy Peace • 9 missions, 2 villages, and 4 presidios were established in Texas • In 1727 Spanish officials needed to cut costs so they decided to combine and abandon some missions. • The Arroyo Hondo stream became the boundary between Spanish and French territory.

Plains People Resent Missions • Spanish missionaries traveled among Native Americans converting them to Catholicism. • Most Native Americans were not interested in Catholicism but were rarely threatening. • Plains Indians (Apache and Comanche) resented the Spaniards and raided their settlements regularly.

San Saba Mission Fails • Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba was set up in central Texas as a request by the Apache Indians to use as protection from the Comanche Indians. • Apaches used this mission for food and gifts sometimes. • Comanche's raided often. • Due to raids, lack of supplies and distance from administrative help the mission failed.