Which of these statements best identifies the area of Texas where most Spanish settlements were located during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
Most Spanish settlements were located in southeastern Texas, spanning from San Antonio to the present-day boundary of Louisiana.
Most Spanish settlements were located in West Texas, with a smaller number of settlements along the Gulf Coast.
Most Spanish settlements were located in regions that lacked access to the Gulf of Mexico.
Most Spanish settlements were located northwest of San Antonio.
What was one reason shared by Spain and Mexico for settling Texas?
They wanted to prevent France from colonizing Texas.
They wanted to set up a buffer against hostile enemies.
They were searching for legendary cities of gold.
Their farmers and ranchers wanted inexpensive land.
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
“The government lacks the resources to give each soldier enough to sustain [support] him, and this fact has not caused desertion to decrease. On this date 311 men are missing from the . . . division. . . . I have ordered the paymaster . . . to purchase and bring here the 150 loads of flour for the relief . . . of the [soldiers]. . . . I have absolutely nothing on hand . . . and the entire population is in the same unfortunate condition.”
—Antonio Martinez, Spanish Governor of Texas, Letter to General Joaquin Arredondo, June 19, 1820
How can historians use and manage information about the lack of food and other resources mentioned in Governor Martinez’s letter to determine how the Mexican settlement of Texas contrasted from the earlier Spanish settlement of this region?
Mexico abandoned the Spanish plan of building presidios to defend local settlements.
Mexico offered soldiers from the United States Army cheap land to defend the Texas frontier.
Mexico required Tejano settlers to defend themselves against a possible French invasion.
Mexico placed former Spanish missions in Texas under civilian control.
Which of the following statements best describes how Anglo-American cultural attitudes toward the Indigenous people of Texas differed from those of earlier Spanish and Tejano settlers?
Anglo-American settlers established missions and schools to teach Indigenous people in Texas Protestant religions and the English language.
Anglo-American settlers respected the rights of the Indigenous people living in Texas.
Anglo-American settlers had little interest in sharing their culture with the Indigenous people of Texas.
Anglo-American settlers drove Indigenous people away from their settlements in Texas.
Use the excerpt to answer the question.
“[Texas] has advanced at an amazing rate of ruin and destruction. . . . The troops . . . have drained the resources of this country, and laid their hand on everything that could sustain [support] human life.”
—Antonio María Martínez, Governor of Texas
What economically difficult time period does Governor Martínez describe in this passage?
when France threatened Spanish settlements in Texas during the late 1600s
shortly after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821
when Spanish conquistadores first entered Texas in search of gold
right before Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836
shortly after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821
The area of Texas where most Spanish settlements were located during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was most likely: Most Spanish settlements were located in southeastern Texas, spanning from San Antonio to the present-day boundary of Louisiana.
One reason shared by Spain and Mexico for settling Texas was: They wanted to prevent France from colonizing Texas.
Historians can use and manage information about the lack of food and other resources mentioned in Governor Martinez’s letter to determine how the Mexican settlement of Texas contrasted from the earlier Spanish settlement of this region by: Mexico placed former Spanish missions in Texas under civilian control.
Anglo-American cultural attitudes toward the Indigenous people of Texas differed from those of earlier Spanish and Tejano settlers in the sense that: Anglo-American settlers drove Indigenous people away from their settlements in Texas.
The economically difficult time period that Governor Martínez describes in the passage is: shortly after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821.
The correct answer for the first question is:
Most Spanish settlements were located in regions that lacked access to the Gulf of Mexico.
To arrive at this answer, it is necessary to eliminate the other options by analyzing them. Option A states that most Spanish settlements were located in southeastern Texas, spanning from San Antonio to the present-day boundary of Louisiana. This is not accurate, as Spanish settlements were not primarily located in this specific area. Option B suggests that most Spanish settlements were located in West Texas, with a smaller number along the Gulf Coast. This is also incorrect, as West Texas was not the main region for Spanish settlements. Option D claims that most Spanish settlements were located northwest of San Antonio. While there were some settlements in this direction, this statement does not represent the majority. By process of elimination, the correct answer is option C.
For the second question:
The shared reason for Spain and Mexico settling Texas was that they wanted to prevent France from colonizing Texas.
To determine this, the other options must be evaluated. Option B suggests that the reason was to set up a buffer against hostile enemies, but this is not accurate as France was specifically mentioned as the concern. Option C suggests that they were searching for legendary cities of gold, but this is not mentioned in the excerpt. Option D states that their farmers and ranchers wanted inexpensive land, however, this is also not mentioned in the provided information. Therefore, the answer is option A.
For the third question:
Historians can use and manage information about the lack of food and other resources mentioned in Governor Martinez’s letter to determine that Mexico required Tejano settlers to defend themselves against a possible French invasion.
This can be deduced by assessing the other options. Option A suggests that Mexico abandoned the Spanish plan of building presidios to defend local settlements, but this is not supported in the excerpt. Option B suggests that Mexico offered soldiers from the United States Army cheap land to defend the Texas frontier, but this is not mentioned either. Option D states that Mexico placed former Spanish missions in Texas under civilian control, but this is not evident from the given information. Therefore, the answer is option C.
For the fourth question:
Anglo-American settlers drove Indigenous people away from their settlements in Texas.
This answer is apparent in the statement that Anglo-American cultural attitudes toward Indigenous people of Texas differed from those of earlier Spanish and Tejano settlers. The other options can be eliminated by analyzing them. Option A proposes that Anglo-American settlers established missions and schools to teach Indigenous people in Texas Protestant religions and the English language, but this is not mentioned and goes against the idea of driving them away. Option B suggests that Anglo-American settlers respected the rights of Indigenous people in Texas. Again, this is not mentioned and contradicts the driving away behavior. Option C states that Anglo-American settlers had little interest in sharing their culture with Indigenous people in Texas. There is no evidence to support this claim in the given information. Therefore, the answer is option D.
For the fifth question:
Governor Martínez describes the economically difficult time period shortly after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821.
This can be concluded from the statement that Antonio María Martínez, the governor of Texas, describes a period of ruin and destruction when the troops drained the resources of the country. The other options can be eliminated by analyzing them. Option A suggests that it was when France threatened Spanish settlements in Texas during the late 1600s, but this does not align with the given information. Option C states that it was when Spanish conquistadores first entered Texas in search of gold, but again, this does not match the description in the excerpt. Option D proposes that it was right before Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836, but this does not fit the time frame mentioned in the passage. Therefore, the answer is option B.