Spanish Missions & Presidios
What was the primary purpose of a Spanish mission, and what primary purpose did a presidio serve?
Missions were built to convert Native Americans to Catholicism and teach them Spanish culture; presidios were military forts built to protect the missions from attacks.
In what year did Christopher Columbus sail across the Atlantic, what country did he sail for, and what was he searching for?
1492; Spain; a direct, faster trade route to Asia.
What happened to the expedition Cabeza de Vaca joined in 1528?
Their ships got separated, their rafts wrecked in a storm near Galveston Island, and most of the men died.
Why was La Salle’s Fort St. Louis so important to Texas history, and how did Spain react to it?
It created a French threat to Texas, which forced Spain to build missions and presidios in East Texas to protect its claim.
Who am I? I was a French explorer who accidentally landed in Texas and built Fort St. Louis.
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.
Why were presidios usually built near missions?
To protect the missions, friars, and Native Americans from attacks by hostile tribes or competing European powers.
Why were Christopher Columbus's voyages so significant to history?
They led to European awareness of the Americas and inspired a wave of Spanish exploration to the New World.
Why is Cabeza de Vaca significant to Texas history, and what did he publish?
He was the first European explorer to live among Texas tribes and write about Texas; he wrote La Relación.
What was Francisco Vázquez de Coronado searching for when he led his expedition?
The Seven Cities of Gold (Cíbola).
Who am I? I sailed across the Atlantic in 1492 looking for a shortcut to Asia.
Christopher Columbus.
What three specific things did friars teach Native Americans inside the missions?
Catholicism (Christianity), the Spanish language, and European farming/ranching methods.
What country did Alonso Álvarez de Pineda explore for, and what major achievement is he famous for in 1519?
Spain; mapping the entire Gulf Coast (including Texas) for the first time.
What did Cabeza de Vaca's stories about his journey encourage later Spanish explorers to search for?
Wealthy cities of gold (the Seven Cities of Cíbola).
What region of Texas did Coronado explore, and did he find what he was looking for?
The Texas Panhandle (including Palo Duro Canyon); no, he only found humble Native American mud villages.
Who am I? I mapped the Gulf Coast in 1519, creating the very first map of Texas history.
Alonso Álvarez de Pineda.
How did the combination of missions and presidios help Spain maintain control of Texas?
Missions established a permanent Spanish presence and converted Native Americans into loyal Spanish subjects, while presidios provided the military strength needed to secure the territory against foreign threats.
What powerful empire located in present-day Mexico did Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés conquer?
The Aztec Empire.
What region of North America is Hernando de Soto associated with, and what major geographical feature did his team reach?
The Southeastern United States (and East Texas); the Mississippi River.
What country was René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle from, and where did he originally intend to establish a colony?
France; at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Who am I? I was shipwrecked on the Texas coast, lived among Native tribes for years, and wrote La Relación.
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca.
What were Spain's overall main goals for colonizing Texas?
To gain power and land, search for gold/wealth, spread Christianity, and establish permanent settlements to protect their land claims.
What did Spain gain as a result of Hernán Cortés's conquest of the Aztecs?
Vast wealth (gold/riches) and control over the territory they named New Spain (Mexico).
What was Hernando de Soto searching for during his expedition through the Southeast?
Gold and glory for Spain.
Where did La Salle accidentally land, and what settlement did he build there in 1685?
Matagorda Bay, Texas; Fort St. Louis.
Who am I? I led an army to conquer the Aztec Empire in Mexico, gaining massive riches for Spain.
Hernán Cortés