jan 1, 1716 - Spanish settlement in Texas

Description:

French explorer Robert de La Salle's expedition down the Mississippi River made the Spanish realize that they needed further fortifications and markings of their territory, so they began in 1716 to establish settlements in Texas. One of these settlements at San Antonio became known as the Alamo. Like other settlements, several missions were built in an attempt to Christianize the Indians, but all in all, Spanish presence remained weak in that area.