Life in a Mission


Texas Studies European Exploration and Settlement Life in a Mission
Students brainstorm buildings included in a mission compound. Then they learn about the physical structure of a mission, including the role of the church and the irrigation system. Next they watch a video about new skills learned by the Indians in the missions and they read about the missions’ role in Texas ranching. Finally they write two diary entries—one from the viewpoint of a friar and one from the viewpoint of an Indian.

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Here are the teacher pack items for Life in a Mission:

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Overview

In this experience, students brainstorm buildings included in a mission compound. Then they learn about the physical structure of a mission, including the role of the church and the irrigation system. Next they watch a video about new skills learned by the Indians in the missions and they read about the missions’ role in Texas ranching. Finally they write two diary entries—one from the viewpoint of a friar and one from the viewpoint of an Indian.

If you have access to leveled readers about life on a Spanish mission, assign them to the students in parallel to this experience.

Estimated duration: 40–50 minutes

Vocabulary words:

  • enclosed
  • grounds
  • gravity
  • mill
  • function
  • aqueduct
  • self-sufficient
  • citizenship
  • strict
  • semi-nomadic

Objectives

  • Describe the structure of life in a mission.
  • Explain the purpose of the mission system.
  • Describe the impact of Spanish colonization on American Indians.


Engage


In the previous lesson you learned some of the reasons that the Spanish built the missions: to convert the Indians to Christianity, to have a claim to the land and its natural resources, and to “civilize” the area as a mirror of European life. In this lesson you will take a closer look at daily life on a mission.

Objectives

  • Describe the structure of life in a mission.
  • Explain the purpose of the mission system.
  • Describe the impact of Spanish colonization on American Indians.


Photograph of the mission

Mission San Jose Church in San Antonio, seen through the mission gate


The missions served as entire villages for the residents. Name a building or area that was probably included in every mission.

Post your answer

Sample answers include church, residence halls or dorms, kitchen and dining hall, workshops, farmland and gardens. Ask students: Have you ever visited the remains of one of the Spanish missions? What did you see there?


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