Spanish Missions in Texas Mission Religious communities established

Spanish Missions in Texas

Mission Religious communities established by Spanish Catholics to convert the Indians.

Catholic Only accepted religion for the Spanish religion Spanish during the exploration and colonizing periods.

Priest- Ordained minister of a church (ex: Catholic minister/ ‘Father’).

Friar- Member of a religious community of men living under vows to maintain a life devoted life to God.

Presidio- military base (fort).


Population 1, 400, 000 + Coastal Plains


but back in the 1718

“The best site in the world, with good & abundant irrigation water, rich lands for pasture, plentiful building stone, and excellent timber. ”

• San Antonio (est. 1718) • The city was named for St. Anthony, whose feast day is on June 13, when a 13 Spanish expedition stopped in the area.

San Antonio de Valero 1718 ‘Alamo’






How & why it all got started

Reason: European Expansion in North America

Fort St. Louis • La Salle explored the Mississippi River • First French settlement built in Texas 1685 -1688

1519 Pineda maps Gulf Coast (Claim area) 1682 1 st Spanish mission built in W. Texas 1685 1690 French make claim to Texas 1 st Spanish Mission built in E. Texas

CAUSE French built Ft. St. Louis to establish France’s claim to Texas EFFECT Spanish build missions to protect area from the French & bring Catholic religion & Spanish culture to the Indians



A few important Spanish Missions in Texas • Ysleta (Corpus Christi de la Isleta) • San Francisco de los Tejas • San Antonio de Valero • La Bahia

Corpus Christi de la Isleta (Ysleta) n 1 st Mission built in West Texas (1682); Built for the Tigua Indians near present day El Paso

• 1 st Mission in East Texas; Built for Tejas Indians (1690) by Father Damian Massanet and Alonso de Leon, a Spanish governor. San Francisco de los Tejas

San Antonio de Valero • • • Governor of Texas Founder of San Antonio in Antonio 1718 Helped build San Antonio de Valero

La Bahia Presidio & mission near Goliad. (This becomes the site of the Goliad massacre where James Fannin & his troops are executed by Mexican forces. )

Why Did Spanish Missions Fail? • Many Indians were not interested in changing their ways. • Lack of money from Spain.

SPANISH INFLUENCE IN TX • Architecture • Art • Food • Language • Music • Vocabulary • Place Names • Celebrations/Activities

SPANISH INFLUENCE IN TX • Language o t i u o q o h s s c o s n a a m l p • Place Names San Jacinto Amarillo El Paso San Ant onio Mat ago rda B ay Cor pus Chr isti

SPANISH INFLUENCE Celebrations/Activities

SPANISH INFLUENCE • Architecture h s i n a Sp Tile TILE S R O FLO WOODEN CEILING BEAMS

SPANISH INFLUENCE • Vocabulary RODEO VAQUERO RANCHO

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