Mission San Antonio Research Paper

While learning English at an institute in Austin, the school proposed a field trip to San Antonio to visit the Mission San Jose and go to the River Walk. Although I had no idea what the missions were, thought it would be an interesting experience. As soon as we arrived to the mission, I realized San Antonio, Texas had such a rich and relevant history, and that I was located in a place that numerous of important historical events had happen on. They gave us a tour of the special museum and explained to us what the tools displayed on the museum were used for, and later on, took us to the church and walked us though the entire property. Perhaps it is difficult to believe, but I felt extremely interested in something I had never heard before. Therefore, when I was assigned a paper about a place in Texas, the first place it came to mind was the Mission San Jose, so I decided to go again to refresh my mind after having learned a great deal about the missions in Texas, the purposes of it as well as the results.

Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus founded the Mission San Jose on February of 1720.

The reason for its development takes place when the Mission San Antonio de Valero became overcrowded, shortly after its foundation, because the missions from East Texas had recently closed. This mission was in fact founded by the Franciscans, who pledge to protect the Indians of the area with the purpose of converting the establishment in a church-oriented community to integrate Native Americans to the Spanish society. There, the Indians were taught vocational skills that would then help the community to create a self-sufficient economy. As mentioned before, Native Americans with hunting and gathering experiences were taught skills such as, carpentry, farming, and weaving, which helped to feed and clothe the mission residents, And indeed, they were so successful specifically at producing food, that they could help feed other missions in the

area.
This Native Americans also built the mission’s buildings and structures in order to have a sense of security and housing. Interestingly, previous architecture around the world inspire millions of later and current constructions. In fact, many buildings on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, borrow architectural elements from those found at Mission San Jose, mostly built by the Indians. This Native Americans had to also receive religious instruction, such as, baptism and participation in daily masses. Moreover, the friars of the mission taught them how to ‘correctly’ behave, including punishments, ordered by the friars and administered by an Indian assistant, if they would behave unacceptably or skip any of the religious obligations. This group was so involved in this new lifestyle that they even learned how to speak Spanish. However, we then think, if this Native American group was so poor that were previously degraded to eat even spiders, lizards and basically anything that moved, what else did they have to loose, so why not being part of this presidio?