Texas History-Vocabulary Flashcards
Basin
wide depretions/dip in land
Plain
flat grassland
Panhandle
top section of texas
climate
average yearly weather in an area
Mountains and Basins (Basin & Range):
West of Pecos River, bordered by Mexico and New Mexico,
Great Plains:
Plains (flat grasslands) area extending down from the Panhandle (top section of Texas) all the way to Mexico
North Central Plains:
Plains with lower elevation than the Great Plains so warmer and wetter with more variety of agriculture but dominated by ranching, biggest city is Forth Worth, lots of oil here as well
(Gulf) Coastal Plains:
largest geographic region of Texas that goes all along the Gulf of Mexico
Major Cities-
Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso
Major Waterways-
Gulf of Mexico, Rio Grande, Red River, Colorado River, Pecos River, Brazos River, Sabine River
Natural/Historic Landmarks-
Big Bend NP, Guadalupe Mountains NP, San Antonio Missions NHP, Palo Alto NHP
Political/Cultural Regions-
Big Bend Country, Panhandle Plains, Hill Country, Prairies and Lakes, Piney Woods, Gulf Coast, South Texas Plains
Local Points of Interest-
The Alamo, Space Center Houston (NASA), San Jacinto Battlefield, The Big Thicket, Enchanted Rock, Palo Duro Canyon
Weather-
a specific event (like a rainstorm or hot day) that happens over a few hours, days or weeks
Humidity-
the amount of water vapor in the air, the more water vapor in the air the higher the humidity and the wetter it feels
Hot-Humid:
high temperatures and lots of rain with wetter air most of the year
Hot-Dry:
high temperatures and low rain with less water in the air most of the year
Mixed-Dry:
temperatures fluctuate with little rain and not much water in the air
Mixed-Humid:
temperatures fluctuate with moderate rain and wetness in the air
The coast
Texas coast was the 1st area explored by Spanish
idk
idk
Texas has been under the (————–) of Spain, France, Spain, Mexico, The Republic of Texas, the USA, the CSA (Civil War), and the USA again
control
A (————————————————-) to decide if the Rio Grande is the proper border of Texas/Mexico leads to the Battle of Palo Alto and Mexican-American War that would give the USA the entire SW region
Border skirmish
(——) discovery would benefit the TX economy
oil
Plains-
nomadic hunters in grasslands who used animal skins for shelter/clothing (buffalo) and became known as fierce/brutal warriors. But before the Europeans arrival (gave them horses/guns/alcohol) they were sedentary farmers (Mississippian Culture)
An example of the people whom live in the plains
Examples- Apache and Comanche
An example of the people whom live in the gulf
Example- Karankawa
An example of the people whom live in the Puebloan
Example- Jumano
An example of the people whom live in the Southeastern
Example- Caddo
Gulf-
fishing and hunting along the coastal area, and living a semi-nomadic life (depending on the weather they migrated inland, but had permanent homes)
Puebloan (Southwestern)-
sedentary farmers and hunters who lived peaceful lives in adobe homes
Southeastern-
sedentary farmers in forested areas that lived similarly to Mississippians (mound-builders)
Alonso Álvarez de Pineda-
mapped Texas coastline (1519) and the Gulf of Mexico proving it was an insulated (separate) area of water from the Atlantic Ocean
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca-
explored the American SW (1527) and later South America. He helped spread the Amerindian legend of the Seven Cities of Cibola (village full of treasure) among the Spanish which intensified their expeditions to find gold in the Americas (3Gs), such as Coronado who sent an expedition (1539) that claimed to have found the city and led his own (1540) across the American SW that only found Puebloan villages of yellow mud and clay and the Grand Canyon not any gold.
At the same time Spain sent an expedition from Florida across the southeastern region led by (———————————–) (1539) that was finished by (—————————————) who took them into east Texas then to Mexico along the coast.
- Hernan de Soto
- Luis de Moscoso Alvarado
In 1685 La Salle established what?
fort on the coastline of Texas for France, and the Spanish were furious. They sent many expeditions to destroy it, but the La Salle expedition/fort collapsed on its own before Spanish arrival. It motivated the Spanish to quickly further colonize eastern Texas with missions to prevent the French from more incursions.
This initial phases of Spanish settlement of Texas only involved (—————————————————-) to conquer and convert the Native Americans before actual European settlers arrived to farm and trade and build real towns.
conquistadors and missionaries,
Encomienda System-
was Spain trying to recreate its medieval feudal system of exploitative labor using natives in place of peasants, and to assimilate them (even giving them rights/protections) to be more European/Hispanic. This was criticized heavily for its human rights abuses by the Church.
Repartimiento System-
replaced encomienda system with native practices (The Mita) of temporary labor needed to build colonies, but natives had less legal rights/protections and were treated arguably even worse than before under the abuses of encomiendas. Used for food/clothing production and mining.
Catholic Missions and Presidios (forts)
were built all across Texas to convert/control the native people and prevent further European invasions (ex- France in late 1600s to early 1700s)
Towns and Ranches
developed around the missions and presidios as more Spanish settlers arrived (farmers and merchants) to build the colonies into more than just agriculture
Fray Damián Massanet-
built 1st failed mission in East TX (1690)
Francisco Hidalgo-
was part of the missionary efforts in West, East, and Central Texas from 1690s to 1720s and was important in the efforts to found missions and convert the native peoples
Antonio Margil de Jesús-
built East TX missions (1716) abandoned in conflict with France (1717), but then built most successful mission in Texas in San Antonio (San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo) in 1720 (today its part of San Antonio Missions NHP)
Father Miguel Hidalgo-
Creole priest in Mexico who wanted to end the injustices against the natives & mixed peoples exploited by the Spanish system, he led an army to Mexico City in 1811 that was defeated, but is still considered the Father of the Nation for his efforts in starting the Mexican independence movements that continued after his death.
José Gutiérrez de Lara-
Advocate and organizer of independence from Spain in Texas after Hidalgo, but also failed in the Battle of Medina (August 18, 1813) fought twenty miles south of San Antonio. It was the deadliest battle in Texas history as the Spanish army decimated the rebels who included some Americans who had agreed to help.