6.2 The French Challenge
Rene’-Robert Cavelier, Sieur
de La Salle
Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La
Salle
• In 1682, French explorer, Rene-Robert
Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle sailed down the
Mississippi River and claimed it for the French.
• He later returned to
North America to set
up a settlement.
• He ended up being
shipped wrecked in
Texas.
Fort St. Louis
• The Fort Saint Louis settlement was built near
Garcitas Creek
• Made out of the timber from
wrecked ship
• It consisted of several small houses and a fiveroom fort
• Hunger, disease, and attacks
by Indians made the fort fail
• Last hope for settlers ended
when the last ship, La Belle
wrecked in a storm
The Spanish Search for the French
• The Spanish heard that the French
were in Texas and sent Alonso de
León and Damián Massanet to find the
Fort St. Louis
• They found two French men and took
them back to Mexico City for
questioning
• de León went back to find the fort,
which he found, but also found the
Hasinai
Indians, which he named Tejas,
meaning “friend”
Spanish Set Up Missions in Texas
• The Spanish began to establish
missions in Texas, the first in East • City
Texas being San Francisco de los
Tejas
• The Caddo did not need the things the
mission offered.
• The Indians did not want religious
instruction.
• In addition, an outbreak of diseases
broke out and tensions arouse.
• The Spaniards ended up burning the
missions and returning to Mexico City.
• The mission failed.
Tensions Grow Between France
and Spain
• The two countries went to war in
1719 when a French lieutenant
and 7 soldiers attacked a nearby
Spanish Settlement.
• This became known as the
Chicken War (the lieutenant tied
several squawking chickens to
his saddle).
• The Spanish abandoned East
Texas.
• The Aguayo Expedition set out
in 1720.
Effects of the Aguayo Expedition
1. Spanish re-occupy East Texas
2. Agreement to separate control of French
Louisiana and Spanish Texas
3. Expansion of Spanish settlement (Los Adaes,
La Bahia).