Spanish

Missions
Marcus
Brynne
Allie

Life for Native Americans

At missions during the 1600s-1800s, Native Americans
were most often found slaving away in the fields and farms at
missions, and other times practicing Catholicism, but we are
going to change that in our mission. Early in the morning,
everyone will rise for religious instruction. The women in
Missions will prepare food and spin wool into yarn, while the
men will build parts of the mission, repair tools, and guard the
mission. The main factors of failure in a mission was the
Native Americans disinterest and illness. Some Native
Americans decided that they did not want to stay any longer,
but were forced to stay. So we just have to make a friendly
environment so they will want to stay.

Life for Native Americans (Part II)

The main reason that Native Americans lived at the missions was for protection
from their enemies. Warrior groups such as the Apache were less likely to attack
those in a mission. Various groups lived at the missions, such as the Coahuiltecan,
Comanche, and Apache.

Friars and Native Americans

Its the job of the friars to bring the Native Americans to the missions so
that they will adopt the Catholic religion. Friars are expected to teach them the
Spanish language, customs, farming, ranching, as well as trades such as
blacksmithing, pottery making, and weaving.
How to treat the Native Americans was the main conflict between
friars and the soldiers in missions. Friars had a stronger relationship with them,
and at first this caused the soldiers to move farther away from the missions. This
caused a problem, however. What if the mission was attacked? The soldiers
were too far away to protect it in time. This isolation also prevented the friars
and soldiers from working well together. So we will have to change that by
having everyone have strong relations with the Natives.

Life for the Soldiers

A soldiers main task is to protect the mission and settlers from Native
American raids and French attacks. Even though Native Americans are not forced to
stay at the missions, soldiers can also bring them back to the mission.
Soldiers can also conduct supply trains, escort groups of settlers, and carry mail.
Their payment is low, and and it is often late due to the isolation of presidios and the
missions. They have to pay for their own supplies (uniforms, guns, ammunition,
food), and their officers often overcharged the soldiers.

Where We Chose to Put Our Mission

and
Why
We will
put our mission along the current day Texas and Louisiana border in the
Piney Woods. We have put it there because there are lots of resources, and if
anything goes wrong in our missions, there are seven other missions near us, or we
could take refuge at presidio. Its also close to the Sabine and Neches Rivers for a
water resource. In addition, it is relatively close to Camino Real.

Successes and Failures of Spanish

Missions
Often times, if missions were in areas with hostile Native Americans, they
would be attacked and raided, sometimes ending the mission. Although, some
missions successfully converted the Natives in the area to Catholicism. But our
mission is in the Caddo area and the Caddo are relatively nice.

Summary
Life in the missions and settlements is complex. Different groups live in the
same small area have different needs and viewpoints. Sometimes those needs
conflict. Native Americans see the world one way, and the Spanish see it another
way. Some Native Americans have no interest in becoming Christians or giving up
their own ways of life. However, some Native Americans do adapt to Christianity in
the missions.
As settlements grow, the settlers will begin to call Texas home. They will
develop their own unique culture, and it includes new foods, clothes, and activities.
Among these settlers, there are people with a mixed Native American and Spanish
background. They are called mestizos.

Reasoning
Our mission would be a great mission to have because it will be located near
water resources, it will be near other missions and presidios, it will be located near a
group of friendly Native Americans, and the soil there is good for farming and raising
livestock. The harvest will be successful and plentiful, and the growth of livestock will
grow to make food for survival. The friendly Native Americans can teach us their
knowledge of survival, and we can teach them about religion. We can find many
resources there including rich soil, fish in rivers, water, trees and maybe some gold and
silver. The travel there will be fairly easy most of the time. The mission is located near
the Gulf of Mexico so the walk will not be long.If this mission is founded, it will be a
great success.

Model of Our Mission

Our Missions Church

Indian Living Quarters

Priest Living Quarters

Garden/Greenery Area

Pasture

Chicken Coop

Horse Stables

Barn

Neches River