Texas Geography & Native Peoples
Exploration & Age of Contact
Spanish Texas
Mexico & Texas
Empresarios & Mexican Texas
100

Mountains, deserts, and the driest climate in Texas characterize this geographic region.

What is the Mountains and Basins region?

100

In 1519, this Spanish explorer mapped the Texas coastline.

Who is Alonso Álvarez de Pineda?


100

Spain established these religious communities to spread Christianity among Native peoples and strengthen its presence in Texas.

What are missions?

100

Texas became part of this nation after it gained independence from Spain in 1821.

What is Mexico?

100

This was the title given to a person contracted to bring settlers into Mexican Texas.

What is an empresario?


200

Plains Indians depended on this animal for food, clothing, shelter, and tools.

What is the buffalo?

200

After being shipwrecked, this explorer traveled through Texas and later wrote about his experiences among Native peoples.

Who is Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca?

200

Along with missions and towns, Spain used these large livestock operations as a tool of colonization.

What are ranches?

200

This 1813 battle ended in a devastating defeat for the Republican Army of the North.

What is the Battle of Medina?


200

This man received permission to establish a colony in Texas but died before carrying out his plan.


Who is Moses Austin?


300

Building homes from available materials, hunting local animals, and growing crops suited to the climate are all examples of this relationship between people and their surroundings.

What is human-environment interaction?


300

Stories about these legendary wealthy cities encouraged further Spanish exploration of the Southwest.

What are the Seven Cities of Gold?

300

This Spanish friar helped establish missions in East Texas.

Who is Fray Damián Massanet?

300

This document established a federal system of government in Mexico.


What is the Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824?


300

Known as the “Father of Texas,” this empresario continued his father's colonization plans.

Who is Stephen F. Austin?

400

A Native Texas group lives in permanent villages, farms crops, and has access to fertile soil and water. These environmental conditions BEST explain this type of lifestyle.

What is a settled agricultural lifestyle?

400

This French explorer established Fort St. Louis in Texas, alarming Spanish officials.

Who is René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle?

400

Spanish names, architecture, religion, foods, and traditions found in Texas today are examples of this.

What is Spanish cultural influence?

400

Under the Mexican government, Texas was combined with Coahuila to form this state.


What is Coahuila y Tejas?


400

This Mexican empresario founded the colony that developed into the city of Victoria.


Who is Martín De León?


500

One Native group built permanent homes and farmed, while another moved frequently to follow buffalo herds. This factor BEST explains their different ways of life.

What is the physical environment and available natural resources?

500

France's establishment of a colony in Texas caused Spain to increase these in the region to protect its territorial claims.

What are missions and settlements?

500

Protecting territorial claims, spreading Christianity, and establishing permanent communities were major reasons Spain used this process in Texas.

What is colonization?

500

Mexico used this system to increase the population of Texas by giving individuals contracts to bring families into the region.

What is the empresario system?

500

Erasmo Seguín, Martín De León, Green DeWitt, and Stephen F. Austin collectively demonstrate this important characteristic of Texas colonization.


What is the cultural diversity of Texas colonization?