1. Missions

2. West Texas Mission • Friars in 1682 founded the first permanent settlement of Europeans in Texas. • Mission Corpus Christi de la Ysleta • El Paso • Jumanos • Presidios • Forts built to protect the missions

4. East Texas Mission • Tejas • Group of Native Americans, also called the Hasinai • “Friend” • First Spanish mission in East Texas • June 1, 1960 • Crude log building • San Frncisco de los Tejas • Located near present day Weches

6. Mission Abandoned • Drought ruined the Tejas’s crops • Disease • Tejas rejected the Catholic religion • Spain saw no reason to keep building missions in East Texas now that France was no longer a threat.

7. France Threatens Again • 1699, French expedition established a colony on the Gulf Coast at Biloxi in present day Mississippi. • French were not interested in converting the Native Americans to Catholicism. • Trade • Blankets, guns, wine for fur and skins

8. Father Hidalgo • Father Hidalgo • Wrote to the French govoner in Louisiana, asking the French to establish a mission among the Tejas. • Broke Spanish law by contacting foreigner without permission • France wanted to trade with the Spanish • French Captain Louis de St. Denis appointed to negotiate with Spanish • Denis arrived unexpected at San Juan Bautista • Spanish Captain Diego Ramon arrested Denis and took him back to Mexico City • The Spanish did not believe that the French simply wanted to trade with Spain • The Spanish release Denis, but order more missions to be built in East Texas with Soldiers to protect them

10. East Texas Missions • East Texas Native Americans were friendly • 1716-1717, Spain had build six missions and a small presidio.

11. San Antonio • Spanish officials saw the need for a settlement midway between New Spain and the East Texas missions. • At times, people in East Texas had no choice but to trade with France or starve. • “The best site in the world, with good and abundant irrigation water, rich lands for pasture, plentiful building stone, and excellent timber. • Presidio San Antonio de Bexar • 1718 • Mission San Antonio de Valero • Alamo

13. War with France • 1719, A small unit of French soldiers from Luisiana seized the Spanish mission near present day Nacogdoches. • Marques de San Miguel de Aguayo, governor of provinces Coahuila and Texas. • Reestablished the abandoned missions in East Texas • France continued to trade with the Natives but did not occupy any more territory in East Texas.

14. Plains People • Resented the Spanish for intruding on their hunting grounds • Apaches regularly raided San Antonio, making life dangerous • Comanches greatly valued Spanish guns and horses • Friars, despite the danger, continued to establish missions in Central and West Texas.