What Role Did The Alamo Play In Pre-American History

Kevin Lukaszek

Mrs. Elia

US History 1 H

4/16/16

Originally called the Misión San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo has always been an influential landmark in the history of North America. The Alamo and the Southern Texas region have always played a vital role in the in the history of America. Whether in pre-American times, during Spanish Rule or the Mexican Revolution, the Alamo has been a part of it and was a focal point of conflict.

During the pre-American era the Southern Texas region was a hot-spot for the development of many human societies and cultures. In 8,000 B.C the first human experiments with plant cultivation occurred in this region, specifically the Post Pleistocene Period. Squash was the prominent crop that was being harvested in

Everything changed when the Spanish began to explore and establish colonies throughout Mesoamerica and South America. Cabeza de Vaca was shipwrecked in 1528, and wandered through the area in the 1530’s. another Spanish explorer De Soto died before he was able to reach what is known today as Texas. De Soto’s men continued west crossing the Red River in 1542. Later after that the number of Spaniards moving into the region increased and the first settlement in Texas was established in 1682. The settlement was based in Ysieta which is in present day El Paso. Ysieta was founded by refugees from the area that is now New Mexico after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Several missions were established in the area. Comanche, Apache, and other local native tribes resented the Spanish encroachment into their homeland. Settlements in the region did not flourish because they were under constant attack by the

The Father at the mission, Father Antonio de San Buenventura y Olivares worked to convert many of the Coahuiletecan bands to Catholicism. After Olivares traveled to Texas with the expedition in 1709, He liked the area of present day San Antonio for Spanish colonization. In 1718 after many natives had left Mission Solano, Olivares moved the mission’s belongings to the new site near present day San Antonio. He named the new mission in honor of Saint Anthony de Pauda and the Spanish viceroy who had approval of his plan: San Antonio de Valero. While the mission changed locations several times, the present location was chosen in 1724. The foundation of the stone mission church was laid in 1744. Until its secularization, nearly 70 years later, San Antonio de Valero was home to Spanish missionaries and their native converts. It was the first of the Spanish missions in the San Antonio