Warm Up: what are defining characteristics of the era of European Exploration?

 Conversation: none  Help: raise hand  Activity: notes over Spanish settlement of Texas  Movement : none  Participation: filling in your copy of notes as we go along

9/20/10

Spain vs France

 Texas lays between Spanish Mexico and French Louisiana, yet neither country has colonized the area  After La Salle established Ft. St. Louis Spain had a renewed interest in exploration of Texas  Spain’s goal was to find and destroy La Salle’s fort, Spain sent many expeditions to find the fort, until it was found abandoned and in ruins

Spain builds Missions

 The viceroy of Spain was encouraged by the finding of new land and the want to convert the Native Americans to the catholic religion that he approved colonization  Spain’s first mission had failed due to drought, and disease  Spain’s first attempt to occupy Texas failed

France returns to Texas

 For the next 20 years Spain put little effort into colonizing Texas, however once France returned to TX Spain became interested again  Realizing the French are in Texas Father Miguel Hidalgo requests to start another mission in east Texas, his request is denied  Hidalgo sent a letter to France asking that the French priests tend to the Native Texans, France sees this as an invitation into Spanish territory

Spain reclaims east TX

 By 1716 the Ramon expedition had established six missions in east Texas  In order to succeed new missions would need a steady stream of supplies  Spain found a midpoint for supplies between Mexico and East Texas at Mission San Antonio de Valero ( Alamo) established in 1718  Across the river from it was presidio (fort) San Antonio de bexar

Chicken war

 The new missions in east Texas were not very successful  In Europe, Spain and France begin fighting over who control Sicily and Sardinia  France sends six soldiers to capture Spanish missions in east Texas, since the few priests and friars living at the mission were no match for Blondel, the French loot the mission-taking livestock and other items of value  As Blondel gets on his horse to leave, the chickens began squacking and flapping around, Blondel’s horse threw him from it, As soldiers scrambled to help Blondel the Spaniards got away.

Results of Chicken War

 The Spanish flee to nearby missions and exaggerate the story saying a French fleet came and attacked the mission, and were invading Texas  Spain retreated from Texas and the “war” showed Spain had a weak hold in east Texas