First Contact
Who was the first European to see Texas?
Answer: Alonso Alvarez de Pineda in 1519.
What did conquistadors seek in Texas?
Gold, land, and to spread Catholicism.
What was the primary goal of Spanish missions?
To convert Native Americans to Catholicism.
What was the "Chicken War"?
When the French stole from Spanish missions, leading to abandonment of some missions.
Who was Jose de Escandon?
He led the establishment of new towns and ranches in South Texas.
What was Columbus's main goal when he sailed west?
Answer: To reach Asia.
Who conquered the Aztec Empire?
Hernan Cortes in 1521.
What was a presidio?
A military outpost.
What did Father Francisco Hidalgo do in response to French presence?
Wrote to the French governor of Louisiana.
What did the Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762) do?
Gave the Louisiana territory to Spain.
What did Columbus believe he would find by sailing west?
A new route to Asia
What were the Seven Cities of Gold?
Rumored cities with great wealth.
What did life inside a mission include?
Structured religious services, daily work routines, and education.
What happened to Spanish missions along the eastern border during the French challenge?
They were temporarily abandoned.
What recommendations did Marquis de Rubi make?
Repair forts and withdraw from East Texas.
What major consequence did Native Americans face after European exploration?
Forced conversions to Christianity and suppression of their cultures.
Who led the expedition searching for the Seven Cities of Gold?
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado.
Why did many Native Americans resist living in missions?
They preferred their own traditions and way of life.
Who led the Spanish expedition to build new missions in East Texas?
Father Hidalgo and Domingo Ramon.
What happened to Mission San Saba?
It was attacked and destroyed by Native American tribes.
Who supported Columbus's voyages?
Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella.
What did Fray Marcos claim to have seen?
A city with golden buildings.
What were acequias used for?
To carry water for irrigation and other needs.
What was the result of the Spanish response to French competition?
Reoccupation of missions in East Texas by Marques de San Miguel de Aguayo.
What challenges did Spanish settlements face in South Texas?
Native American raids.