AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
A Bridge between the Old World and the New World: Mission Nuestra
Senora de la Concepcion, 1755
Content Objective: Students will identify the architectural features of Mission
Concepcion that exemplify Spain’s bond with the Catholic Church and Spain’s
commitment to Christian traditions. Students will explain the effects of the mission
system on the lives of native people living in Texas.
Language Objective: Students will discuss three images from Picturing America.
Students will work cooperatively to design a brochure that explains key architectural
features of Mission Concepcion and describes how the mission has changed the lives of
the native populations in Texas.
TEKS: 7.2a, 7.2b, 7.19c, 7.21a, 7.21b, 7.21c, 7.22a, 7.22b, 7.22c, 7.22d
Time Needed: Two 50 minute class periods
Materials Needed: Chart paper/butcher paper, stickers/post-it notes, copies of images
from Picturing America related to Mission Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, 1755.
Guiding Questions: How does Mission Concepcion illustrate Spain’s firm bond with
the Catholic Church and adherence to Christian traditions? Describe the ways in which
the missions transformed the native populations of Texas.
Lesson Sequence:
1. Warm-up- Project image 1-B.2, Convento and church at dusk. Ask students to
look at the image and then answer the following questions, What kind of building
do you see in the photograph? What might this building be used for? Who would
come to this building? Why would people want to come to this building?
2. Have students share their answers to the questions with a partner. Allow a few
partner groups to share their answers with the class.
3. Explain to students that today they will be engaged in a case study of one of the
Texas missions, Mission Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion. Students will learn
about the effects of the mission on the native peoples of Texas. Students will also
learn how the design of the mission reflects Spain’s ties to the Catholic Church
and Christian traditions.
4. Station activity- Students will rotate among four stations. Station 1: Life in a
Spanish Mission, Station 2: Spanish Missions in Texas, Station 3: Eye of God,
Station 4: Convento and church at dusk and Mission Nuestra de la Concepcion
de Acuna, in cooperative groups. Students will complete the corresponding
questions or graphic organizer at each station. Tell the students that they will use
the information on their graphic organizer to complete a processing assignment.
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
As students move through each station, the teacher should check the responses on
the questions or graphic organizers.
5. Processing Assignment/Assessment- After students have completed all of the
stations, introduce the processing assignment. Students will design a brochure to
send back to Spain explaining how the mission will transform the native
population of Texas, how the mission’s design illustrates the bond with the
Catholic Church and with Christian traditions, and the mission’s daily schedule.
The brochure should also include three colored illustrations and a title. All writing
should be in complete sentences.
6. Closing Activity- Spectrum or Poll Reflection
Spectrum- As a class ask students to generate a list of ways the missions impacted
native people of Texas. Write down each impact on a separate sheet of paper. Ask
student volunteers to come to the front of the room to hold up an impact. Students
who are not at the front of the room should put the impacts in order from greatest
impact to least impact.
Poll- As a class ask students to generate a list of ways the missions impacted native
people of Texas. Write down each impact along the bottom or left side of a large
piece of chart paper. Have students place a sticker, star, post-it note, or other marker
next to the impact they believe was the most significant. Ask members of the class to
justify their choice.
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Station One
Life in a Spanish Mission
LIFE IN A SPANISH MISSION
By Michelle Ong
Life in a Spanish mission depended on the success of the mission. A few were successful
and able to sustain the population of the mission. Padres would first establish the mission
and construct huts or adobe buildings. Natives were then brought to live in the missions
in separate houses, eventually converting to Christianity and working on allotted tasks to
further the prosperity of the mission. Most of the missions, however, failed due to
diseases, native hostility, inner turmoil and flooding.
During the establishment of a mission, work consisted of building houses and digging
irrigation ditches. When Mission San Antonio de Valero was first built religious services
were held in a hut. The first buildings of San Francisco de Espada were huts made of
mud, brush and straw. Buildings were later improved and composed of adobe and then
stone. A weaving room would produce clothes and blankets from locally grown cotton
and wool. Native homes were furnished with beds, chests, stones to ground grains, and an
assortment of cookware. Fields of corn, chili, beans, cotton and a ranch would sustain
Mission San Antonio de Valero. Other missions cultivated sugar cane, sheep, chickens,
melons and pumpkins. The important staple of corn filled granaries and prevented
famine.
Unfortunately, mission life was marred by epidemics and nuisances like flies, mosquitoes
and disease-ridden water. Malaria became a problem for the people at presidio La Bahia
at Goliad. Shortages of food, supplies and clothing were also prevalent. Sending supplies
to some missions, such as those in East Texas, would take long periods of time that
worsened life if crops failed or were submerged by floods.
Missions became the most effective method to control Texas. Since padres toiled to
convert and civilize natives, they held no personal ambitions and were the most
trustworthy representatives of the Spanish government. They also helped sustain the
mission by plowing, planting and harvesting. They cooked, washed, mended clothes and
were doctors and nurses for the Natives. In addition, they built houses, churches and
tended livestock.
A mission strongly needed a Native population. With a stable Native population, many
crops could be grown and well-tended, and the mission could be self-sustaining. But even
befriending a native tribe could create animosity with other tribes. Comanches attacked a
Spanish mission after seeing evidence of Apaches holding friendly relations with the
Spaniards. Such tribal rivalries would cause the abandonment of Spanish missions, or the
murder of padres and soldiers.
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Life in a Spanish
Mission
Directions: Read the article at Station 1: Life in a Spanish Mission. Answer the questions
as you read.
1. Describe how a mission was established.
2. List four challenges missions faced.
3. Explain why missions were the most effective way for the Spanish to control
Texas.
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Station Two
Spanish Missions in Texas
SPANISH MISSIONARY ACTIVITY IN TEXAS
By Michelle Ong
Spanish missionary activity occurred from 1682 to 1793 in an effort to protect New
Spain, while converting Native Americans and utilizing agriculture to sustain Spanish
exploration. From the late 17th century to early 19th century, forty-four Franciscan
missions were established in Texas.
The largest mission concentrations were in San Antonio and El Paso. Four missions were
initially established on the right bank of the Rio Grande. In 1682, San Antonio de Senecú
was established to serve the Piro Indians. San Antonio was Spain's major Texas outpost
and was occupied by the Coahuiltecans. On June 13, 1691 an expedition led by Governor
Domingo Terán de los Ríos arrived at the village of Papaya Indians and named it San
Antonio de Padua. In 1718, Martín de Alarcón, Fray Antonio de San Buenaventura y
Olivares and a group of Canary Islanders established mission San Antonio de Valero,
later known as the Alamo. San Antonio became the capital of Spanish Texas in 1773.
The Spanish government directed New Spain to send more missionaries and strengthen
the missions. A presidio was built in East Texas. In 1721, Marqués de San Miguel de
Aguayo and Father Antonio Margil de Jesús lead an expedition to reestablish the six
missions and fort and build a new presidio. In 1729, the East Texas presidio closed,
leaving three missions vulnerable. Priests moved the missions to San Antonio in 1731.
Although the Spanish missions were mostly unsuccessful, they showed Spain's firm
bond with the Catholic Church and their execution of church affairs by establishing
missions and defending them with presidios. The missions and presidios transformed the
various native populations of Texans, even though most did not convert.
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Spanish Missions in
Texas
Directions: Read the article at Station 2: Spanish Missions in Texas. Complete the
graphic organizer as you read.
When did the Spanish
establish missions in Texas?
Where were the most
missions established?
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción has stood in San Antonio
since the mid-1700s. Photo by David Campbell.
Why were the missions
established?
How did the mission system illustrate
Spain’s bond with the Catholic
Church?
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Station Three
Eye of God
Jolliffe
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Eye of God
Directions: View the image at Station 3: Eye of God. Discuss the image with your group
and then answer the following questions.
I think this images represents……
because…
This image is unusual because….
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Station Four
Convento and church at dusk and Mission
Senora de la Concepcio de Acuna
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Convento and church
at dusk
Directions: Look at the image at Station 4: Convento and church at dusk. Discuss the
questions with your group at complete the questions below.
1. Locate the crosses and lanterns at the top of the towers and dome. Is the building
symmetrical? Explain your answer.
2. Locate and draw a box around the two towers on this paper. What do you think
the original function of the two towers on top of the church was?
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
Mission Nuestra
Senora de la
Concepcion de Acuna
3. What was the purpose of this building?
4. What kinds of activities, besides religious activities, took place in this building?
5. List the buildings the make up a Spanish mission.
6. Explain why native people would choose to live here.
7. List the ways the design of this mission symbolizes Christian beliefs.
8. Compare the image of the mission painted in 1755 with the photograph of the
mission today.
How has the mission changed over time?
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe
What aspects of the mission have stayed the same over hundreds of years?
Brochure Directions
You are a friar living in Mission Concepcion. Officials in Spain want to know the
following information:

how your mission is transforming the native population of Texas

how the design of your mission illustrates the bond with the Catholic Church
and Christian traditions

the schedule your mission follows every day
Create a brochure to send to Spain that addresses the issues listed above.
Your brochure must include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A title
Three colored illustrations
The mission’s schedule
How the mission transformed the native population of Texas
How the design of the mission illustrates the bond with the Catholic Church and
Christian traditions.
AISD Social Studies Curriculum 2008-2009
Jolliffe