How many Spanish settlements were there in Texas in 1820?

three settlements
There were only three settlements in the province of Texas in 1820: Nacogdoches, San Antonio de Béxar, and La Bahía del Espíritu Santo (later Goliad), small towns with outlying ranches.

What were the Spanish Mission Settlements?

The Spanish Mission was a frontier institution that sought to incorporate indigenous peoples into the Spanish colonial empire, its Catholic religion, and certain aspects of its Latin American culture through the formal establishment or recognition of sedentary Indian communities entrusted to the guidance of the missionaries under the…

Where was the first Spanish settlement in Texas?

The first Spanish missions were established in the 1680s near present-day San Angelo, El Paso, and the Presidio—areas closely associated with settlements in what is now New Mexico. In 1690, Spanish missions spread to East Texas after news emerged of La Salle's French settlements in the area.

What was the most successful settlement in Texas?

Over the course of the century, San Antonio, founded in 1718, proved to be the most successful settlement, a combination of civilian, military and missionary communities. Evidence of the presidio and mission system can still be seen in San Antonio today, with the Alamo—the remains of Mission San Antonio Valero—and the nearby settlement at La Villita.

What was the role of the Spanish in Texas?

In the early settlements across the state, the Spanish engaged in a power struggle with local groups, with neither side ever declaring full victory over the other. However, the missions and presidios were a success for the Spanish crown in other important ways.

Why did the Spanish build the presidios in Texas?

Together, the missions and presidios served as centers of that power—the basis of a strategy to subdue and control the land and people of present-day Texas.