The Time Travelin Texican: Recent Episodes
Hank Wilson
t end with cattle and railroads. Alpine found a lasting identity through education with the establishment of Sul Ross State University, bringing students, teachers, and new opportunities to one of the most remote parts of Texas. Later, the creation of Big Bend National Park added another chapter, making Alpine a welcoming base for travelers drawn to the beauty and history of the Trans-Pecos.More than the story of a single town, this episode explores how permanent communities take root. Frontier forts made travel possible, but places like Alpine demonstrated what it took to stay. Geography, transportation, ranching, education, and determination all came together to create a community that continues to thrive more than a century later.Join us as we discover why Alpine is not simply a stop on the way to somewhere else—it is one of the places that helps explain how West Texas became home.
m Hank Wilson, and this has been Hidden History of Texas.Until next time...keep asking questions...because history always has another story waiting just down the trail.
ve discovered together, history is not a collection of disconnected events.It is a conversation across generations.One decision leads to another.One response creates another response.One generation leaves questions for the next.And perhaps that is the greatest lesson history has to teach us.Understanding how we arrived here is the first step toward understanding where we go next.
Welcome to another episode of The Political Realignment a Hidden History of Texas seriesHow does a nation recover its confidence?That question hung over America in 1980.The Vietnam War was over.Watergate had moved from breaking news into history.The Bicentennial optimism of 1976 had faded.Inflation remained painfully high. Interest rates climbed. Gas lines and energy worries had shaken the confidence of ordinary families. And every night, the Iran hostage crisis reminded Americans that fifty-two of their fellow citizens were still being held captive in Tehran.Many Americans were anxious.Some were angry.Others were simply tired.Tired of crisis.Tired of uncertainty.Tired of feeling that the country they had known was slipping away.Into that uncertainty stepped Ronald Reagan.A former actor.A former governor of California.And one of the smoothest political communicators America had ever seen.Reagan did not begin by talking like an economist.He began by talking like a storyteller.He told Americans that decline was not inevitable.He told them government had grown too large, taxes were too high, and individual initiative had been smothered by bureaucracy.He told them America could be strong again.And millions of voters were ready to hear that.Jimmy Carter entered 1980 carrying the burden of events, some of which he had inherited and some of which had unfolded during his presidency.He had not caused the inflation of the 1970s.He had not created America’s dependence on foreign oil.He had not caused the Iranian Revolution or the seizure of the American embassy in Tehran.But presidents are often judged less by what they cause than by whether the public believes they can respond.By 1980, many Americans had concluded that Carter looked overwhelmed by events.That perception may not have been entirely fair.But politically, it mattered.The hostage crisis especially became a daily symbol of national frustration. Americans watched the calendar count upward, day after day, while the hostages remained in captivity.For many voters, the crisis was no longer simply a foreign policy problem.It had become a question of national strength.And Reagan understood that.He projected confidence.He projected optimism.He projected control.Whether people agreed with him or not, he made many Americans feel that the country could stand tall again.That was the emotional center of the 1980 election.Not tax tables.Not budget charts.Confidence.Of course, Reagan also brought a very specific economic philosophy.What later became known as Reaganomics emphasized tax cuts, deregulation, reduced government spending in some areas, and the belief that economic growth would ultimately benefit the broader society.Supporters saw it as a way to unleash American enterprise.Critics called it trickle-down economics and questioned whether the benefits would reach ordinary working people.But in 1980, many voters were not thinking in those terms.They were thinking about mortgage rates.Gas prices.Paychecks.Taxes.Fear of decline.And whether anyone in Washington knew how to fix things.For middle-class voters across the South and much of the country, Reagan’s appeal was not limited to economics.Several currents were moving together.There was frustration with inflation and taxes.There was resentment toward a federal government many believed had become too intrusive.There were cultural concerns shaped by the upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s.There was growing religious and social conservatism.There was anxiety about America’s role in the world.And there was a deep desire for order after years of disorder.Reagan brought those concerns together into a single message:America could be great again, if government would get out of the way and the American people were allowed to do what they did best.That message resonated.I was living in Los Angeles during those years, and Californians still debated Ronald Reagan’s years as governor.The national image of Reagan in 1980 was polished, optimistic, and reassuring.But in California, many people also remembered the governing record.They talked about changes to mental health programs.They talked about the long-term effects of Proposition 13 and the limits it placed on local government revenue.They talked about the changing role of the state and what happened when tax revolt became public policy.That gave me a different perspective.It reminded me that campaign messages and governing realities are often two different conversations.Reagan the candidate sold confidence.Reagan the governor had already shown what a smaller-government philosophy could mean in practice.Both were part of the story.And yet, in 1980, the national mood worked powerfully in Reagan’s favor.The final debate produced one of the most memorable lines in modern politics.Reagan looked into the camera and asked Americans a simple question:Were they better off than they had been four years earlier?For many voters, the answer was no.On election night, the result was decisive.Reagan defeated Carter in a landslide.He carried forty-four states and won 489 electoral votes.Carter carried only six states and the District of Columbia.Independent candidate John Anderson drew millions of votes, reflecting the dissatisfaction many Americans felt with both major parties.But the larger meaning of the election was clear.The political realignment that had been developing for years had reached a new stage.The old New Deal coalition was no longer dominant.The South continued moving toward the Republican Party.Suburban voters became increasingly important.Religious conservatives emerged as a powerful political force.Working-class voters became more divided.And the Republican Party, after years of transition, found a message that could unite economic conservatives, social conservatives, anti-communists, suburban families, and voters exhausted by the turmoil of the previous decade.Looking back, it is tempting to say Reagan’s victory was inevitable.It was not.It was the product of a long national journey.The breaking point of 1964.The chaos of 1968.The landslide of 1972.The search for trust after Watergate in 1976.And finally, in 1980, the search for confidence.Ronald Reagan did not create every force that brought him to power.But he understood them.He gave them language.He gave them a smile.He gave them a story.For supporters, that story was renewal.For critics, it was illusion.For historians, it was a turning point.Because in 1980, Americans were not simply choosing between two candidates.They were choosing between two interpretations of the country’s future.Jimmy Carter warned of limits, sacrifice, and the hard work of rebuilding trust.Ronald Reagan promised strength, optimism, and a return to national confidence.The voters chose Reagan.And with that choice, the modern conservative era truly began.The arguments that had started in the 1960s did not end in 1980.They changed shape.They moved into tax policy, school boards, churches, suburbs, courtrooms, cable television, and eventually the political language of the twenty-first century.The realignment was no longer coming.It had arrived.
m Hank Wilson, and this has been Hidden History of Texas.Until next time...keep asking questions...because history always has another story waiting just beyond the next mountain.
s role in the world.Those issues would shape the election four years later.In ConclusionLooking back today, 1976 feels like a pause.Not the end of the story.Not the beginning of a new one.A pause.America had survived Vietnam.It had survived Watergate.It had celebrated two hundred years of independence.Yet beneath the celebration, the political landscape continued to shift.The coalitions that had defined American politics for decades were still changing.The arguments begun during the 1960s had not disappeared.They had simply become quieter.Only a few years later, they would return with new energy in the election of Ronald Reagan.If 1964 marked the breaking point...If 1968 revealed the fracture...If 1972 showed the electorate reorganizing itself...Then 1976 reminds us that history rarely moves in straight lines.Sometimes nations pause.Reflect.Catch their breath.Before beginning the next chapter.
m Hank Wilson, and this has been Hidden History of Texas.Join me next time as we continue our journey along the Rio Grande Frontier.
Looking back, 1972 was more than a landslide election.I still have a Presidential Certificate of Appreciation from those years, signed by Richard Nixon during my service in the Coast Guard. At the time, it was simply a certificate from the Commander-in-Chief. Like most Americans, I had no way of knowing how dramatically the story of that presidency would unfold.History has a way of doing that.We live through events one day at a time, rarely seeing where they will lead. Only years later do we begin to understand how the pieces fit together.And in many ways, the America that emerged from 1972 is still the America we live in today.
The Germans, Czechs, and the Making of TexasI live in Central Texas in an area called the Hill Country. We have an old saying that if you drive far enough through the Hill Country, you’ll eventually find three things:a church steeple,a dance hall,and the smell of barbecue smoke drifting across the fields.But behind those familiar, almost stereotypical, Texas scenes lies a deeper story.A story carried across oceans by immigrants who arrived with little more than trunks, tools, family Bibles, recipes, songs, and hope.During the 1800s, thousands of Germans, Czechs, Poles, and other Europeans came to Texas searching for something they could not find in the Old World:land…freedom…and the chance to build a new life.And in doing so, they helped shape the Texas we know today.This is the story of the Germans, the Czechs, and their role in the making of Texas.THE JOURNEY TO TEXASFor many immigrants, Europe in the mid-1800s was a difficult place.Germany was divided into small kingdoms and states. Political unrest swept through Europe after the revolutions of 1848. Economic hardship and land shortages left many families struggling to survive.Meanwhile, in the Austro-Hungarian territories, Czech farmers and laborers faced poverty, overcrowding, and limited opportunity.Then came the stories about Texas.Cheap land.Open skies.Fertile soil.A place where a man might own property for the first time in his life.For many families, the journey began with a crowded ship crossing the Atlantic.Then came the rough Gulf waters to Galveston or Indianola.After that…weeks of travel by wagon, horseback, or simply on foot into the interior of Texas.The Texas they found was not easy.There were droughts.Floods.Disease.Isolation.And the constant challenge of carving homes and farms out of untamed land. But they endured.....This is their story.....
a Hidden History Series.There are years in history that feel less like ordinary time and more like a fault line.Years where the ground beneath a nation begins to shift and the people can feel it, they may not understand what they’re feeling, but they know something is changing..For America, 1968 was one of those years.The country had already been changing throughout the 1960s. The Civil Rights Movement had challenged the old order. The war in Vietnam was growing more divisive. Cities were struggling with poverty, race, and unrest. Young Americans were beginning to question institutions their parents had trusted without hesitation.But in 1968, all of those pressures collided.And for millions of Americans, it felt as though the country itself was coming apart.I remember that year well.I graduated from high school in Houston in the spring of 1968 and entered college that September. Even in Texas, far from Washington and Chicago, there was tension in the air. Conversations about race, war, protest, and authority were no longer distant news stories. They were part of daily life.America was rapidly changing.And not everyone agreed on what that change should look like.Vietnam and the Collapse of TrustThe year began with war.In January of 1968, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched what became known as the Tet Offensive. Militarily, the offensive was repelled. But politically and psychologically, it changed everything.For years, Americans had been told the war was being won.Tet suggested otherwise.Television screens suddenly filled with images of firefights in cities, American casualties, and chaos in places many Americans had never heard of before. The war no longer felt distant. It entered American living rooms every night.Trust in government began to erode.Even respected broadcaster Walter Cronkite publicly questioned whether the war could truly be won.For many Americans, confidence in leadership was beginning to collapse.Martin Luther King Jr.Then came April 4th.Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.The murder shocked the nation.For years, King had stood as the moral voice of the Civil Rights Movement, preaching nonviolence, justice, and reconciliation. But his assassination unleashed grief, anger, and frustration across the country.Riots erupted in more than one hundred American cities.National Guard troops were deployed.Smoke rose above neighborhoods already struggling with poverty and racial division.For some Americans, the unrest confirmed fears that the country was descending into disorder.For others, the riots reflected generations of anger and inequality that had gone ignored for far too long.The divide between those perspectives would become politically important.Robert Kennedy and Lost HopeTwo months later, tragedy struck again.Senator Robert F. Kennedy had emerged as a candidate who seemed capable of bridging some of America’s growing divisions. He spoke openly about poverty, race, and the need to heal the country.His campaign attracted young people, minorities, working-class voters, and many Americans exhausted by the war.Then, on June 5th, moments after winning the California Democratic primary, Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles.Another national figure gone.Another sense of hope shattered.To many Americans, it felt as though violence and instability were becoming the defining language of the era.Protest and DisorderBy the summer of 1968, protest movements were spreading across college campuses and major cities.Young Americans marched against the Vietnam War.Civil rights organizations demanded deeper reforms.Groups like the Black Panthers emerged in cities across the country, reflecting growing frustration among younger Black activists who believed nonviolence alone was no longer enough.At the same time, police departments and local governments often responded with increasing force and suspicion.The tensions could be felt even in places like Houston, where concerns about policing, activism, and racial conflict became part of the atmosphere surrounding college campuses and urban neighborhoods.Then came Chicago.During the Democratic National Convention in August, protesters flooded the streets while police battled demonstrators in scenes broadcast nationwide on live television.Americans watched officers swinging clubs, protesters bleeding in the streets, and crowds chanting:“The whole world is watching.”The Democratic Party itself appeared divided and exhausted.And millions of Americans watching from home saw chaos.George Wallace and the Politics of BacklashInto that atmosphere stepped George Wallace.Running as a third-party candidate, Wallace appealed to Americans who believed the country was moving too fast, changing too much, and losing control.His campaign focused on law and order, resistance to federal authority, opposition to unrest, and anger toward political elites.While Wallace’s earlier political career had been deeply tied to segregation, by 1968 his campaign also tapped into a broader sense of cultural backlash and working-class frustration.And millions responded.Wallace carried five Southern states and won nearly ten million votes.His success revealed something both major political parties would increasingly recognize in the years ahead:A large portion of the American electorate felt alienated from the direction of the country. Nixon and the RealignmentIn the end, Richard Nixon won the presidency.Nixon promised stability.Order.An end to chaos.His victory represented more than a normal election.It marked the acceleration of a political realignment already underway since the Civil Rights era began reshaping American politics earlier in the decade.Southern voters were beginning to move away from the Democratic Party.Many suburban and working-class voters were becoming increasingly concerned about crime, protest movements, and cultural upheaval.Trust in institutions government, media, universities was weakening.The coalitions that had dominated American politics since Franklin Roosevelt were beginning to fracture.And the consequences of that fracture would shape American politics for generations.Looking back now, 1968 feels like more than just a turbulent year.It feels like a turning point.A year when millions of Americans stopped believing the future would naturally bring unity and stability.The old political consensus was breaking apart.New coalitions were forming.And many of the arguments that still define American politics today, race, protest, policing, media, nationalism, cultural identity, distrust of institutions were becoming impossible to ignore.For those of us who lived through it, even as young people stepping into adulthood, the tension was real.You could feel it.And in many ways, America has been wrestling with the legacy of 1968 ever since.
We’re talking about some of the Extreme Weather Events in Texas History. It's the 2000s and the Bad Boys are about to hit the Texas Coast, In the past few episodes, I’ve talked about some of our most devasting hurricanes. The one that wiped out the entire town of Indianola in the 1800s, how in 1900 a Hurricane devastated Galveston, and last episode in the 60s and 70s, we met hurricanes, Carla, Beaulah, and several others all of whom battered the Texas coast and brought forth death and destruction throughout the region.For a few decades it seemed like things were becoming peaceful. Even as the century changed, into the 2000s, things really were different. Not exactly silent, but they seemed to be more subdued. The ocean was entering a quieter rhythm; part of a natural heartbeat scientists call the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation.The waters of the Gulf were a little cooler, the winds aloft a little harsher, slicing apart many storms before they could rise into monsters. Some years, El Niño set up shop in the Pacific, tilting the balance of the atmosphere and turning the Gulf into a hostile place for hurricanes to grow.Storms still came, but many curved away, sparing Texas and spending their fury elsewhere. To long-time coastal residents, it almost felt like a truce — as though the Gulf itself was taking a breath between great battles.But as history always warns, quiet seas are never quiet forever. Coastal cities in Texas received a warning that things might be different when in 2005 Hurricane Rita brushed the Texas-Louisiana border in 2005, and then when Humberto came along in 2007 and Ike in 2008, it was a grim reminder that Texas was always living on borrowed time.You can stream my complete audiobook on Spotify
This is episode 74 of the Hidden History of Texas and it’s time to meet some of the Mean Girls of the 60s and 70s. The 1960s and 1970s saw Texas getting hit by several storms, all of which were given ladies names, but none of whom acted very lady like. Let's meet Hurricane Carla in 1961, in1967 Hurricane Beulah's showed up, not to be outdone Hurricane Celia hit in 1970, and then in 1979 it was Hurricane Claudette. All of which devastated parts of Texas.In September of 1961, the Texas coast faced one of the largest and most powerful hurricanes in recorded history — Hurricane Carla.It turns out that Carla was indeed a monster of a storm. Out over the Gulf of Mexico, her winds reached 175 miles per hour, and by the time she aimed herself at Texas, hurricane-force winds stretched more than a hundred miles from the center. Even if you weren’t in the direct path, you were going to feel Carla’s fury.On September 11, Carla roared ashore near Port O’Connor and Port Lavaca as a Category 4 hurricane. The storm pushed a towering wall of water ranging from 15 to 20 feet high across the coast. Entire towns were swallowed by the surge. Port Lavaca was nearly destroyed, and low-lying areas across Matagorda and Calhoun Counties disappeared beneath the sea.Winds tore apart homes, ripped up piers, and flung debris miles inland. Even Houston, dozens of miles away, was shaken by hurricane-force gusts. And then came the tornadoes — more than two dozen of them, spinning off Carla’s circulation, tearing through Texas, Louisiana, and as far north as the Midwest.By the time the storm finally moved inland and began to fade, 43 lives had been lost. But that number could have been far higher. Warnings from forecasters and state officials led to half a million people evacuating the Texas coast, the largest evacuation in U.S. history up to that point. --- NOT A COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT ---
1900 – The Galveston HurricaneThe city of Galveston sits on Galveston Island which is two miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The island is only about 50 miles from Houston, and it is a part of what are called the barrier islands. The islands sit between the mainland of Texas and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As such, they often bear the brunt of any storm that arises in the Gulf. Galveston has a natural harbor and in the early days of Texas was regarded as the best Gulf port site between New Orleans and Veracruz.Karankawa Indians lived on the island and it is thought to be the most likely location of the shipwreck landing of Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1528. It received its name in 1785 from José de Evia, who named it in Bernardo de Gálvez, the viceroy of Mexico. Mapmakers then used the name Galveston for the entire island and in 1816 Louis Aury established a naval base at the harbor in order to provide support for the Mexican revolution.It was during that time when the pirate Jean Laffite, set up a pirate camp called Campeachy to dispose of contraband and provide supplies for the freebooters. In 1821, however, the United States forced Laffite to evacuate. Mexico designated Galveston a port of entry in 1825 and established a small customshouse in 1830. During the Texas Revolution the harbor served as the port for the Texas Navy and the last point of retreat of the Texas government. Following the war Michel B. Menard and a group of investors obtained ownership of 4,605 acres at the harbor to found a town. After platting the land in gridiron fashion and adopting the name Galveston, Menard and his associates began selling town lots on April 20, 1838. The following year the Texas legislature granted incorporation to the city of Galveston with the power to elect town officers. Between that time period and 1900 Galveston struggled during the civil war and then in 1867 the island and town was ravaged by the yellow fever, and it is estimated that 20 people a day died from the disease. Regardless of the hardships, Galveston eventually thrived and in fact, It had the first structure to use electric lighting, the Galveston Pavilion; the first telephone; and the first baseball game in the state. The Galveston News, founded in 1842, is the state's oldest continuing daily newspaper.Back in the old days, many of us would get up early in the morning, walk out to our front porch and pick up the daily newspaper. It was a ritual, that was how we got our news. Now we don’t do that anymore, most of us turn on our TVs, phones or computers and get our news from there. But back in 1900, on September the 8th, if you were one of the approximately 38,000 people who lived in Galveston, Texas at that time and had awakened early and picked up your morning edition of Galveston News, you would have seen a story, not a headline, but a story on page 3 about a tropical storm that seemed to be roaming about in the Gulf of Mexico. That’s not an unusual type of story for people living along the gulf coast, especially during the month of September. However, one thing that made this story a little different was that on Friday, The Weather Bureau, now days known as the National Weather Service, had placed Galveston under a storm warning. The paper also contained a small one column story, that said that great damage had been reported from communities on the Mississippi and Louisiana Coast from the storm. Unfortunately, the story, which had originated in New Orleans at 12:45 AM, was only one paragraph and didn’t really contain much information. The local paper did print a story beneath the report that said, "At midnight the moon was shining brightly, and the sky was not as threatening as earlier in the night. The weather bureau had no late advice as to the storm's movements and it may be that the tropical disturbance has changed its course or spent its force before reaching Texas." So based on that type of reporting,
Welcome to a new series from the Hidden History of Texas. In this series I will be discussing the various Extreme Weather Events that have taken place in Texas History. This episode is an introductory one, in which I talk about Texas, what a hurricane is, and then I talk an in-depth look at what took place before, during, and after the 1900 Galveston Hurricane struck the Texas Coast.Texas is a land of extremes. From the dry deserts of the Trans-Pecos to the humid Gulf Coast, from the rolling Hill Country to the flat prairies, no state in America faces such a wide spectrum of natural fury. The very size and diversity of Texas mean that when disaster comes, it comes in many forms, hurricanes that drown entire cities, flash floods that sweep away homes in the night, tornadoes that reduce downtowns to rubble, droughts that starve farms for years, and even man-made catastrophes born of fire, gas, and explosives.In no other place is the saying “everything’s bigger in Texas” truer, or more tragic. Disasters here are not just local events. They ripple outward, changing laws, inspiring massive engineering feats, and reshaping the way communities think about safety, survival, and resilience. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the drought of the 1950s, Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and the Kerrville floods of 2025—each stands not only as a story of loss, but also as a turning point in Texas history.
That's the question. Was Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, a great Texas leader or a terrible human being? And are the two ideas necessarily incompatible? Can a person be a terrible human being and still be considered a great leader? Who was Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar?He was the 2nd president of the Republic of Texas and served from 1838 until 1841. His tenure stands out, at least to me, for two totally contradictory issues. On one hand he absolutely despised the indigenous peoples of Texas and on the other he was a major support of funding public education. Well, public education for white children not all children, but I digress. Lamar was a product of his time.The story is in the podcast ---
Welcome to the Hidden History of Texas I’m Hank Wilson, and I’m talking about the presidios (or forts) the Spanish established alongside the missions. I’ll also talk about how the French became involved with Texas and their influence on the Spanish expansion of both missions and presidios. Before I go further, please if you don’t mind subscribing to the podcast, it’d be greatly appreciated.Once the Spanish decided to expand their territory northward from its base in central Mexico, they knew that in order to be successful, they needed to send more than just missionaries, and so they created the missions. They also understood that they needed to send soldiers to protect the missions and they needed civilians to build towns. The combination of presidio, the mission, and the civil settlement became the major foundation the Spanish used for colonization. Martín Enríquez, who was the fourth viceroy of New Spain (1568–80), is generally given credit with being the first to build presidios in the Southwest. He ordered the construction along the main road from Mexico City northward to Zacatecas of casas fuertes (which is translated to "fortified houses"). Over time the name was changed to presidio (from Latin praesidium, "garrisoned place"). The pattern of the early presidios was learned from the Moors and by the early eighteenth century, when Spaniards settled Texas, the patterns had not changed much.
The Spanish Build MissionsIn this episode I want to talk about the missions that the Spanish established when they colonized Texas. I’ll talk about the reasons for the missions, how many were established, and some of the good and the bad that took place in and around the missions. Spanish explorers operated under the philosophy of the three G’s, God, Gold, and Glory, the Spanish missions in Texas are a direct result of that philosophy. How did that come about?When Spain began to colonize the Americas, it was a Roman Catholic nation. That meant that while there was a King and a Queen (Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile) , they in fact owed their power to Rome and the Catholic Church. They had received Papal Dispensation for Marriage: Ferdinand and Isabella were second cousins, and under canon law, their marriage required a papal dispensation (special permission). They obtained this from Pope Sixtus IV. Once they were in power they established what we know as the Spanish Inquisition.It was founded in 1478 with the aim of suppressing heresy within Spain and its territories. While initially focusing on individuals suspected of practicing non-Catholic beliefs, the Inquisition later targeted forced converts from Judaism and Islam (conversos and Moriscos) who were suspected of secretly practicing their former faiths.They were granted this power to establish the Inquisition in Castile, when Pope Sixtus IV published a bull granting them the exclusive authority to name inquisitors, although the papacy retained the right to formally appoint the royal nominees.As defenders of the Catholic Church, they believed that whenever they encountered new peoples, and that goal was to convert the natives to Catholicism. Missions played a major role in that effort.Once the Spanish had established settlements in Mexico they turned their vision north, in search of fabled cities of gold and between 1632 and 1793, in order to establish a foothold in their northern most territory, they sent expeditions which all had at least one Spanish friar as a member. These teams traveled north from Mexico into present-day Texas, where they built dozens of missions and presidios. A presidio is a military fort and usually was built in very near proximity or at the same location as the mission in order to provide security to the friars and those who lived and worked at the mission.In all, 26 missions were established and maintained in Texas with various results. According to the Spanish belief system at the time their goals were somewhat noble. Establish Christian enclaves with communal property, labor, worship, political life, and social relations all under the guidance and supervision of the missionaries. The missionaries and Spanish authorities sought to make life within the mission communities resemble that of any Spanish villages and echo Spanish culture. To do so, the priests not only taught the Indians religion but also life skills, they felt the native peoples lacked.They introduced European livestock, fruits, vegetables, and industry into the Texas area. The introduced a very structured format for day-to-day living including a highly organized routine of prayer, work, training, meals, and relaxation. Now of course in order to round out the training the missionaries also made certain to celebrate religious holidays and they held other types of celebrations. As I mentioned, the Spanish plan was for the natives to become productive Spanish citizens and to meet that goal they were taught several vocational skills, such as blacksmithing, masonry, carpentry, weaving, and more.Unfortunately the results didn’t meet the expectations, for several reasons. The day-to-day life in the missions wasn’t anything the Native Peoples had ever experienced. The priests supervised all activities in the mission; however, when we look at their methods from our current social beliefs,
The Hidden History of Texas Looking for Gold and Glory – Before I get too far into it today, how about subscribing to the podcast. Tell your friends that you’ve found the coolest place on the net to learn about Texas history. Well maybe not the coolest, but a pretty cool place, thanks I’d appreciate it.As I’ve discussed in the past, the Spanish presence in the Americas was pretty much an accident. Until Columbus bumped into the islands of Guanahani (Watling Island in the Bahamas) which Columbus named "San Salvador", Cuba, and Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic). They had no idea anything or anyone was between them and Asia, remember they were looking for a shortcut route to India. Even then it wasn’t until 1519 when Alonso Álvarez de Pineda mapped the Gulf Coast for the first time that they began to realize they had stumbled upon something far different than what they originally thought. So, what intrigued the Spanish so much about this new continent they encountered?I’ve talked about how in 1528 Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, explored the Gulf Coast and his exploration fell apart. He got shipwrecked and he and some of his crew wandered across present-day Texas and northern Mexico. During their journeys and capture they heard stories from the people about cities or places that were “wealthy”. Now we don’t know exactly what the indigenous people meant by wealth or how they described the various locations, but de Vaca’s later telling of those encounters sparked an interest in what the Spanish called or were labeled the "Seven Cities of Gold" or “the Seven Cities of Cibola” But why? Why would these stories matter to the Spanish?In the early 8th century Muslims had conquered what is now Spain and Portugal. The story goes that in 714 seven Catholic bishops and their faithful followers fled across the Atlantic to a land known as Antilia, the name of which, incidentally, was the source of the name Antilles, which was initially applied to the West Indian islands of the Caribbean. The story was that when they fled, they took with them vast amounts of wealth, especially in gold and silver and each of the bishops had established a city. The story, or fable, was that those 7 cities were to be found in this ‘new’ country.However, the Antillean islands failed to produce large quantities of gold and silver, but by 1539 the lands that Cabeza de Vaca and his companions reported on were thought to contain an El Dorado (or The Gold) known as Cíbola. In that year, Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza dispatched Fray Marcos de Niza and the African Estevanico to search the area. This exploration cost the life of Estevanico at Háwikuh, the southernmost of the Zuñi pueblos in western New Mexico.On his return to New Spain (today’s Mexico), Fray Marcos reported that he had seen golden cities, the smallest of which was larger than Mexico City. Today we know that the good frier exaggerated what he saw, why I have no idea, but he definitely didn’t see any golden cities and certainly not one larger than Mexico City would have been at that time. In 1539, Mexico City, then known as Tenochtitlan, was a large and populous city. Estimates for its population ranged from 200,000 to 400,000, so as I said, the good frier was a, as we say, a teller of tall tales.However, in 1540 a follow-up expedition of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado captured Háwikuh and learned the true nature of it as well as other nearby pueblos. In the following year, disappointed over the failure to find the Seven Cities of Cíbola Coronado launched a futile search for Quivira-(another legendary wealthy city) an undertaking that crossed the Panhandle. His toute took him from Arizona to New Mexico into Texas up to Oklahoma, and finally Kansas. It was there that he did find Quivira, it was situated in what is now central Kansas, now nobody is really certain of its exact location, and most think it was near present-day Lyons or Salina. What did he find?
Welcome to Episode 67 of the Hidden History of Texas – I’ve been discussing the 1st peoples of Texas, those who were here when the Spanish arrived and today, I’m going to discuss The Comanche, Kiowas, Tonkawas.Remember how I discussed some of the differences between the Hunter-gathers tribes (mostly nomadic lifestyle) and the farming tribes (mostly stationary lifestyle). I brought up some of the religious beliefs and how the majority of tribes embraced the idea of a supreme being or multiple gods, and they had creation stories. For agricultural tribes, various ceremonies accompanied the planting and harvesting of crops. Hunter-gatherers often sought the help of spirits before searching for game, which served as food for the tribe.One of the major tribes of hunter-gatherers was the Comanche. The Comanches started out in the Great Plains and began to migrate south due to pressure from other tribes such as the Blackfeet and Crow. It’s important to remember that throughout human history, groups of people have consistently been replace by other groups who were more powerful. Eventually the Comanche ended up in Texas, where there was abundant game, a warm climate, and an animal that would eventually become almost synonymous with them, the wild mustang.The Comanche inhabited most of the South Plains including much of North, Central, and West Texas, this part of Texas was known as Comanche country, or Comanchería. Once they arrived and settled on the Southern Plains the Utes called them Komántcia, which means "enemy," or, literally, "anyone who wants to fight me all the time." However, they called themselves Nermernuh, or "the People."We know of as many as 13 different Comanche groups and most likely there were others that were never identified. Several major bands played important roles in recorded Comanche and Texas history. The southernmost band was called Penateka, or "Honey Eaters" and their range extended from the Edwards Plateau to the headwaters of the Central Texas Rivers.A band named Nokomi or “Those who Turn Back” lived in an area north of the Penateka, they roamed from the Cross Timbers region of North Texas to the mountains of New Mexico. Their range was shared by two smaller bands, the Tanima ("Liver-Eaters") and the Tenawa ("Those Who Stay Downstream") and are often referred to as the Middle Comanches. The Quahadis ("Antelopes"), roamed the high plains of the Llano Estacado. One interesting fact about the Llano Estacado is that the Southern end of the plateau lacks a distinct physical boundary; it blends into the Edwards Plateau, (in Central Texas, where this program is recorded) and the Johnson Creek branch of the Colorado River, east of Big Spring, which is most likely its boundary. The Llano Estacado comprises all or part of thirty-three Texas and four New Mexico counties and covers approximately 32,000 square miles, a larger area than all of New England.It is part of what was known to early explorers and settlers as the Great American Desert, a semiarid region with average annual precipitation of eighteen to twenty inches. The Comanche weren’t the only tribe that lived in that area, the Kiowa also shared territory that was mostly in the Panhandle and Oklahoma.The Kiowas originally came from the Montana area around the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers. As they migrated southward, they quickly learned to adapt to the South Plains by acquiring and using horses, especially in their hunting of buffalo. They gained their horses from the Spanish who also supplied them with slaves and guns and over time they became almost a completely nomadic group, and eventually they became one of the most feared and disliked of the Plains tribes. They entered into peaceful co-existence with the Comanche and with help from the Wichitas and Taovaya received guns and ammunition from the French and British.The Kiowa camps were designed to be broken down and moved quickly, often within 30 minutes.
This is a more in-depth look at the First Peoples of Texas. Why” because there were people here long before the Spanish and any other Europeans set foot on the land, First, allow me to try and clear up some terminology especially one word and that word is “Indians”. The people Columbus encountered when he first reached the shores of the continent where misnamed, because Columbus thought he had reached India and as we know, he was wrong. That’s all I’m going to say about the subject.The inhabitants themselves did not refer to themselves in any specific way, other than often using the term “the people”, they did refer to other tribes with names. For example, the early Spanish encountered a group of nomadic buffalo hunters, they called Querechos. That group was later named Apache, which came from the Zuni word for enemy “apachu” which is what they were called by the Navajo. While some tribes were “farmers” the Apaches were hunter-gatherers and didn’t do a lot of agriculture. When we speak of the tribes, it is important that we remember that those tribes that were hunter-gatherers had a certain lifestyle dictated by necessity as did those who were farmers. There is no one broad brush we can paint all tribes with; however, there are certain characteristics that many tribes have in common with one another.One area that was of particular importance to all tribes was in the area of religion or spirituality. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century, the tribes that lived in the area that is now Texas maintained a variety of religious practices. The majority of them embraced the idea of some type of supreme being and they all had creation stories. They were usually not monotheistic; many held a belief in a variety of powers often organized in a form of hierarchy. For agricultural tribes, there were various ceremonies that accompanied the planting and harvesting of crops. Hunter-gatherers often sought the help of spirits before searching for game which served as food for the tribe.Most tribes saw the universe in three levels. The upper level was one of predictability, lower level of chaos, and the level where humans lived which was a mixture of both of the other levels. The world was divided into 6 regions, north, south, east, west, up, and down and the year had a cold period and a hot period.All believe there is a spirit in everything, including animals such as buffalo, wolves, bears, etc.Spiritual leader shaman,AKA medicine man while all shamans were medicine men, not all medicine men were shamans.Shamans in addition to using plants and instructions from spiritual helpers, they also went into trances to visit land of the dead, where they gathered information on the sickness.What were some of the Hunter-Gatherer Tribes and where did they live?Comanches – North Central / Northwest TexasKiowas – Panhandle – shared territory with ComancheHeld a summer Sun Dance – to insure regeneration of the BuffaloTonkawas - Gulf Coast (Houston area)Venerated the Great WolfKarankawas – Gulf Coast (shared territory with Tonkawas – inner gulf coast)Apache – (Lipan) South and Southwest Texas – (Mescalero) West Texas – El PasoCoahuiltecans (KOE-ha-HWEE-ta-kanz) Rio Grande valley in what is now southern Texas and northeastern MexicoFarmersFarming groups tended to revere the earth, corn, rain, sun, and developed their beliefs based on fertility, and crop cycles.Spiritual leader priest –The medicine man or woman, acted like Shamans even going into trances for healing help. Priests, who most often were men, were religious specialists, had a long period of training valued not for healing abilities but because they knew the rituals and ceremonies to ensure bountiful harvests and healthy people.They also had witches who were evil. Could change their appearance, become animals, or even sparks of a fire. They stole people’s lives and souls.
This is Episode 48 – Slaves and Slavery in Texas Part 1 the early years - I’m your host and guide Hank Wilson. And as always, brought to you by Ashby Navis and Tennyson Media Publishers, producers of a comprehensive catalog of audiobooks and high-quality games, productivity, and mental health apps. Visit AshbyNavis.com for more information.In this episode I’m going to talk about something that might make some folks a tad uncomfortable and that’s because this will be the 1st of 2 parts where I’m going to talk about slaves and slavery in Texas.Slaves and slavery is a historical reality, not only in Texas but around the world. This program is focused on the history of Texas, so I won’t go into the world-wide history of slavery, or the fact that it still takes place around the world. I will also not discuss how the indigenous people who were on the continent before the Spanish bumped into it also made slaves out of their conquered enemies. That is for another episode that is in the planning stage that I’m working on about the history of the Americas before they became the Americas. No in this episode I will concentrate on the issue of the slaves and slavery of African people’s first by the Spanish, Portuguese, and English, and in the next episode I’ll discuss the issue as it took place under the Anglos who took over Texas.The first slaves brought into what the Spanish called New Spain, now Mexico were in fact Africans taken from their homelands and brought to the continent as part of the 1519 invasion led by Hernán Cortés. After Cortes opened the door, after 1580 there was a steady stream of African slaves that were brought over because Portugal gave Spain easy access to the Portuguese slave network. By 1640 more that 275,000 Africans had been taken from their homelands and sent to New Spain. Since the slaves were considered commodities once it became less profitable the importing almost completely came to an end. By 1646, in a total population of over 1.7 million, New Spain’s African population, both native born and those born in New Spain, outnumbered Europeans 35,089 to 13,830. That’s enough about what happened in Mexico now let’s talk about Texas.The first slave brought into Texas was Esteban, or Estevanico. He was one of four survivors of the failed Pánfilo de Narváez expedition to Florida, remember from earlier broadcasts, they were heading to Florida but took left instead of a right and ended up wrecking on the Texas coast in 1528. Estaban was the slave of Andrés Dorantes de Carranza, and was described by Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, who kept track of what happened to the survivors’ as they traveled through Texas and the Southwest, as a “Black Arab from Azamor.” Azamor is a Moroccan town on the coast that had been captured by the Portuguese in 1513....To find out more, you have to listen to the broadcast...thanksWant to reach me - use this formVisit Ashby Navis & Tennyson for some great Audiobooks
Forts part 2Mexican – Anglo RelationsWelcome to the Hidden History of Texas. This is Episode 47 – Mexican Anglo Relations - I’m your host and guide Hank Wilson. And as always, brought to you by Ashby Navis and Tennyson Media Publishers, producers of a comprehensive catalog of audiobooks and high-quality games, productivity, and mental health apps. Visit AshbyNavis.com for more information.Relations between the Anglo settlers and Mexicans or Tejanos (Tejanos are those of Mexican or Spanish decent who were born in Texas, either when it was a province of Mexico or as a Republic) have almost always been strained. The Anglo settlers who immigrated into Texas were primarily from the South and as such they carried with them all of their innate prejudices. While some of the earliest settlers did learn to adapt to a Spanish way of life and to live in peace with their Mexican neighbors, many of the newcomers had no such desire.One area of conflict concerned itself with the issue of slavery. Mexico began to restrict slavery during the 1820s and finally completely outlawed it in 1829. However, the Mexican government exempted Texas from this law in order to appease Anglos. Initially that didn’t seem like very important because it is estimated that in 1825 there were only about 400 slaves in Texas. However, by 1835 and the real beginning of the battle for Texas independence it is believed that there were more than 5,000 slaves in the region. In 1836 after Texas won at the Battle of San Jacinto, and claimed to be an independent republic there was still trouble. Because there was no formal treaty solidifying Texas status as independent. Mexico refused to recognize Texas' independence and considered it a rebellious territory. The Mexican government believed that Santa Anna had no legal authority to sign the Treaties of Velasco while a prisoner, and that the Mexican government had no obligation to honor the agreements. Now because of that, there was the very real fear that Mexico would invade and try to take Texas back. Then when in 1837, Mexico abolished slavery, this time without any exceptions, the Anglo residents of Texas began to fear that their slaves would start to side with Mexico in any type of dispute. And since many of the Anglos already distrusted the Mexican people in the state as the Texas Republic took shape, officials placed more and more obstacles before the non-Anglo population.For example, In the world of politics, Anglo leaders excluded Tejanos from almost every type of meaningful political participation. For example, Juan Seguín, one of the most influential Tejano political leaders, an Alamo defender, and who played an important role in the development of the Republic, and who fought for and stood side by side with those opposing Mexico and Santa Ana, was forced to flee to Mexico after a white mob chased him out of San Antonio. When it came to education, well Texas wasn’t big on public schools as a way of insuring equality. In fact, from 1836 to 1900 private individuals, such as the Catholic Church, Protestant groups, and public officials all regarded schools as critical to preserving the social order. They saw them not only as ways to increase literacy, but also as vehicles to perpetuate existing class, sex, and ethnic roles. After Texas became a state, Mexican children often had no access to public schools. As the decades passed, that began to slowly change and by the 1880s the children did increasingly have access to rural schools. By the 1890s Mexican working-class children in urban areas were admitted to city schools. In both cases access was limited to segregated classes in the elementary grades. No secondary or postsecondary facilities were available to them. Only the children of wealthy families attended colleges and universities. The decision to segregate elementary schools in Texas was due to racial prejudice, residential location,
Welcome to the Hidden History of Texas. This is Episode 46 – Frontier Forts 1850 - 1856Frontier Forts 1850 - 1856 - I’m your host and guide Hank Wilson. And as always, brought to you by Ashby Navis and Tennyson Media Publishers, producers of a comprehensive catalog of audiobooks and high-quality games, productivity, and mental health apps. Visit AshbyNavis.com for more information.Following the death of Maj. Gen. George Mercer Brooke in 1851, his successor, Brevet Maj. Gen. Persifor F. Smith, added Forts Ewell and Merrill in South Texas. Pushing the military line further west, Smith authorized construction of Forts Clark, Terrett, Mason July 6, 1851, McKavett March 1852, Chadbourne, Phantom Hill November 14, 1851, and Belknap June 24, 1851. To help plug gaps in the northwest, Camp Cooper was erected in 1856. A double line of forts now protected Texas' southern and western frontiers. Let’s take a look at four of these forts, and I’m going to start with Fort Belknap.Fort McKavett - QuartersFort Belknap was established at the site of what is now Newcastle in Young County Texas. Newcastle is located in what is known as North Central Texas and is very near the headwaters of the Brazos River. In June of 1851, Brigadier General William Belknap established the fort in the area because there was adequate water.The fort was what is known as a four-company post, there were members of the 2nd unit of the U.S. Dragoons, the 7th U.S. Infantry, the 2nd U.S. Calvary, and the 6th U.S. Calvary. Fort Belknap was the northern anchor of the central Texas chain of forts which had been established to protect the Texas frontier from the Red River to the Rio Grande. It had no defensive walls or works and the troops that inhabited it were used to pursue raiding bands from the various tribes that inhabited the area. At times, troops from the fort trailed into Kansas to do battle with their enemies. One of the results of the fort’s presence, was the creation of a centralized hub of roads that made travel throughout the region easier, including the Butterfield Overland Mail route from St. Louis to San Francisco. At the start of the civil war, troops were moved and union troops finally returned in April of 1867. It was finally abandoned for good in September of 1867. In the 1970s the citizens restored and rebuilt some of the buildings and today it is open to visitors. One other frontier fort that was opened in 1851and did not receive the same care and consideration from latter generations, was Fort Mason.Fort Mason was established in July of 1851 in Mason Texas. Mason is one of the most picturesque towns in perhaps the most picturesque regions of the State. It’s about 60 miles from where I currently live and while the town itself is well worth a visit, the remains of the fort, not so much. There’s only one building left and it’s very disappointing if you’re interested in Texas history. Fort Martin Scott in Fredericksburg or Fort Croghan in Burnet are both much more informative and easier to visit. Anyway, Fort Mason was established in 1851 atop a hill that offered the soldiers an expansive view of the land around. Maj. Hamilton W. Merrill and companies A and B of the Second Dragoons were the first solders to occupy the fort. There is no clear record of who the post was named after, and it appears that it most likely was named either for Lt. George T. Mason, who was killed at Brownsville during the Mexican War, or for Gen. Richard Barnes Mason, who died only a year before the fort was established. The fort was occupied on and off until 1861 at which time it was taken over by secessionist forces of Texas. A couple of notable officers who served at Fort Mason when it was in Union hands was Robert E. Lee and John Bell Hood. After the civil war the union took control of the fort and was finally abandoned in 1869. One fort that was never officially a fort is known locally as Phantom Hill which was established on November 14,
Welcome to the Hidden History of Texas. This is Episode 45 – Texas Frontier Forts 1848-1849 - I’m your host and guide Hank Wilson. And as always, brought to you by Ashby Navis and Tennyson Media Publishers, producers of a comprehensive catalog of audiobooks and high-quality games, productivity, and mental health apps. Visit AshbyNavis.com for more information.After and actually during the War with Mexico, the United States began the process of establishing Army posts or forts in Texas. The first of these Fort Polk and Fort Brown had been established during the war against Mexico, almost at the mouth of the Rio Grande and the Gulf of Mexico. In 1849 Maj. Gen. George Mercer Brooke, assumed command of the Military Department for Texas and began working on ensuring that Mexico understood the United States was claiming authority along the southern border of Texas. To do so, he placed Ringgold Barracks, Fort McIntosh, and Fort Duncan along the Rio Grande.After those forts were in place, he then moved to protect the western frontier. In order to accomplish that he established Fort Inge, Fort Lincoln, Fort Martin Scott, Fort Croghan, Fort Gates, Fort Graham, and Fort Worth. In this episode I want to look at 4 of those forts, Fort Martin Scott (December 1848), Fort Inge (March 13, 1849), Fort Croghan (March 16, 1849), and Fort Worth (June 6, 1849).The first of those, Fort Martin Scott, my favorite of all the forts, because my great-great grandfather was actually stationed there and it’s how part of my family came into existence in Texas.Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country just outside of Fredericksburg Texas, is Fort Martin Scott. It was founded on December 5, 1848, when Captain Seth Eastman of the 1st U.S. Infantry, one of the 1st U.S. Army post on the western frontier and named it Camp Houston. This fort served as protection for the mostly German settlers in the area and also helped protect the Fredericksburg – San Antonio Road. Eastman stayed at the camp until February of 1849 when he was sent to establish what was to become Fort Inge.Fort Martin Scott, then Camp Houston, started with 2 companies of infantry and one of dragoons. In 1847 Germans who had settled the area had entered into peace treaties with the Comanches; however, those treaties were in danger as more Anglo settlers moved into the region. The camp was formally renamed to Fort Martin Scott in December of 1849 in memory of Major Martin Scott who was killed in action at the battle of Molina del Rey in 1847. Over time the influx of white settlers led to an increase of tension between the parties and in 1850 several tribes met near the San Saba River. At that time Indian agent John Rollins, with an escort provided by Captain Hamilton W. Merrill met with the tribes and drew up the Fort Martin Scott Treaty.Due to people moving further west Fort Martin Scott began to lose its tactical value and finally in 1853 Colonel W.G. Freeman recommended the fort be closed and in December 1853, the 8th Military Department ordered that it be closed. The preserved fort can be visited and is now the property of the Fredericksburg Heritage Association.Next to come into existence was Fort Inge, located on the east bank of the Leona River south of Uvalde. The area’s primary natural identifier is a 140 foot volcanic plug of phonolite basalt. Some archeologists believe the area has been occupied by one group or another since around 6,000 BC. Several ranches also existed in the region during both the Spanish colonial and the Mexican periods of Texas.On March 13, 1849, Captain Seth Eastman along with some 56 soldiers of the 1st United States Infantry established a base camp on the Leona. In December of that year, the post was renamed Fort Inge in honor of Lt. Zebulon Inge, a West Point graduate who served in the U.S. Second Dragoons and had been killed during the Battle of Resaca de la Palma.
War With MexicoWelcome to the Hidden History of Texas. This is Episode 44 – War With Mexico - As always, brought to you by Ashby Navis and Tennyson Media Publishers, producers of high quality games, productivity, mental health apps, and a comprehensive catalog of audiobooks. Visit AshbyNavis.com for more information.The 1846-1848 conflict known in the United States as the Mexican-American War was called the U.S. Invasion by Mexico. It was fueled by the expansionist views of President James Polk and was an example of his belief in the ‘Manifest Destiny’. He firmly believed that the United States was destined by God to own all the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific.After he became President and oversaw the annexation of Texas into the union as a State, he realized that since Mexico controlled everything west of Texas, it was standing in his way. Initially he tried to have Mexico agree to several small issues. After the Battle of San Jacinto, even though Texas and the United States claimed Texas was independent the fact was that Mexico had never officially signed a peace treaty. Polk wanted Mexico to recognize that the boundary between the United States and Mexico was the Rio Grande. He also wanted Mexico to sell Northern California to the United States. He did his best to pressure Mexico into accepting these terms, but he failed because nobody in Mexico would agree to giving up any territory to the United States and that especially included Texas.Polk was not a person to take no for an answer, and he grew increasingly frustrated by Mexico. On January 13, 1846, he ordered the army that was under the control of Gen. Zachary Taylor's, which was in Corpus Christi, to move to the Rio Grande. Needless to say, the Mexican government took this to be an act of war. The Mexicans responded by crossing the Rio Grande on April 25 at Matamoros and ambushed an American patrol.Much like President Johnson would do later with the Gulf of Tonkin incident to justify further involvement in Vietnam, on May 13th, Polk used this to convince Congress to declare war on Mexico. He claimed that this was because "American blood had been shed upon American soil." On May 8 and 9, even before the official declaration of war Taylor's army defeated a force of 3,700 Mexican soldiers under Gen. Mariano Arista in the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la PalmaInitially the American forces tried to use the time-honored plan of blockading Mexican coastal cities and also occupying the Mexican states that bordered Texas. These plans were based on a very unrealistic belief that this would somehow coerce Mexico into giving up territory. In September General Taylor, accompanied by a significant number of volunteers that included many Texans, seized Monterrey. He then declared that General Arista had agreed to an armistice. Taylor succeeded in large part due to the role that Col. John Coffee Hays's Texas Mounted Rifles played during the attack on the city. Polk, however, was not satisfied with the armistice and he denounced it, forcing Taylor to drive further south to Saltillo and then east to Victoria. Meanwhile Gen. John E. Wool lead more troops from San Antonio with the initial intention of threatening Chihuahua, instead he turned and ended up joining Taylor’s forces. Not content with just Texas and Mexico, President Polk sent Gen. Stephen W. Kearny from Fort Leavenworth with instructions to seize New Mexico.Finally in July, as Taylor's forces were gathering, the navy sent its Pacificsquadron under Commodore John D. Sloat to occupy Monterey and San Francisco, California. From that post they joined a force of Anglo settlers who at the urging of the explorer John C. Frémont had established their own government. Although an August incursion into southern California failed, the area was eventually secured by a joint army-navy expedition under Kearny and Commodore Robert F. Stockton in January 1847.Meanwhile,
This is Episode 43 – Texas finally becomes a state - I’m you host and guide Hank Wilson.There is a major misconception among people today about exactly what Texas and Texans wanted when they rebelled against Mexico. Some of today’s Texas citizens believe the reason was the settlers wanted to be an independent country. That’s not true, while wanting to be free of Mexico, the vast majority of those who were living in Texas at the time wanted to be a part of the United States. That was a major source of conflict among the early politicians, and that’s why there was not a major push for statehood until the mid-1840s.In 1844 Texas held its final presidential race. The citizens elected Secretary of State Anson Jones. Due to his backing by Sam Houston, Jones easily won the election. He was inaugurated on December 9, and his administration’s policies included economy recovery, trying to establish peaceful relations with the Indians, and a policy of nonaggression against Mexico. Perhaps most importantly, he began to tackle the idea and process of having Texas annexed by the United State. He, more than anyone else is known as the "Architect of Annexation." (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The thing he and those who were in favor of annexation knew was important was timing. He wasted no time in beginning his effort and he instructed Isaac Van Zandt, Texan who was the official chargé d'affaires to the United States, to not negotiate any treaty until they could be assured the United States Senate would ratify it. Almost simultaneously President John Tyler reopened negotiations on annexation and Mexico began expressing interest in becoming an ally of Texas. Meanwhile, Mexico told the United States that she would declare war if the United States approved annexation. Two events, both of which were embarrassing to Texans, would help spur American interest in annexing Texas.In 1841, then Texas president Lamar, as part of his dream to have Texas expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean authorized what is known as the Santa Fe expedition. This was one of those grand adventures that was doomed from the start. The group got lost, they were attacked by almost every tribe along the route, and when they actually reached New Mexico they were met with armed resistance. The entire expedition surrendered without firing a shot, were imprisoned in Mexico City, and eventually released in 1842.Also in 1842, Mexico invaded Texas.A force of 700 lead by Gen. Rafael Vásquez entered Texas and seized San Antonio. They only stayed for two days before travelling back over the Rio Grande and returning to Mexico, but their presence in Texas caused many Anglos to become very nervous. Since Sam Houston had taken office from Lamar, in March of 1842, he instructed the Texas representative to Washington, James Reily, to begin to explore the possibility of annexation. The federal government was receptive because the British had indicated they wanted to help mediate the Texas-Mexico issues. Of course, this would have provided England with an opening to establish their influence in Texas affairs. Meanwhile President Tyler, a Whig who adhered to the traditional Southern support of slavery, was a proponent of annexation and by October discussions that would lead to the eventual annexation of Texas by treaty had begun.The treaty was completed on April 12, 1844, and signed by Secretary of State John C. Calhoun, Isaac Van Zandt, and Van Zandt's assistant, J. Pinckney Henderson.Texas was an issued during the U.S. presidential election of 1844. Democrat James K. Polk, of Tennessee, ran under the slogan "the Re-Annexation of Texas and the Re-Occupation of Oregon.," He was trying to capitalize on the growing belief among Americans that it was their destiny to control the entire continent. He won by a very significant amount. Since Polk would not take office until March of 1845,
Episode 42 – Texas becomes a Nation – well sort of and not a very successful one. As soon as the provisional government heard about the victory at San Jacinto, government officials headed to the battlefield. Once there they began negotiating with Santa Anna to end the war. May 14 at Velasco, Santa Anna signed two treaties, one for public consumption and the other one was signed and kept secret.The public treaty officially ended hostilities with Mexico and restored settlers private property. Prisoners on both sides were to be released, and the Mexican forces would move south of the Rio Grande. All very popular with everyone.The secret treaty, which would have caused an uproar if the details were made public agreed that Santa Anna would be taken to Veracruz and released. In return, he agreed to have the Mexican government approve the two treaties and to negotiate a permanent treaty. That treaty was to acknowledge that Texas was to be independent of Mexico. It was to also recognize the national boundary as the Rio Grande. Even though the two treaties had been signed, things were not exactly peaceful. In fact, military activity continued along the Gulf Coast.On June 2 Maj. Isaac W. Burton, who was in charge of a company of twenty mounted rangers, noticed the vessel Watchman at anchor in Copano Bay. He grew suspicious and had his men capture it. Once they boarded it they discovered that it carried supplies intended for the Mexican army. On the seventeenth of June, Burton then seized two more vessels, the Comanche and the Fannie Butler. They were also carrying supplies for the Mexican army which had a value of $25,000. Meanwhile the Mexican Congress renounced Santa Anna, refused to honor his treaties, and demanded that the war with Texas continue.Once word of the Mexican government’s actions reached Texas, people began to demand that Santa Anna be put to death. Santa Anna, his secretary Ramón Martínez Caro, and Col. Juan N. Almonte had already been put aboard the Invincible to be returned to Veracruz, but the ship had not yet set sail. Gen. Thomas Jefferson Green, a recent arrival from the United States demanded that President Burnet remove the Mexicans from the vessel and put them into confinement. Which he agreed to temporarily do. Santa Anna was not executed, instead he was sent to Washington D. C. where he met with President Andrew Jackson. Jackson did send him back to Mexico where Santa Anna discovered he had been deposed as President. Meanwhile back in Texas, Thomas Jefferson Rusk who had been a general during the battle of San Jacinto and was appointed to the position of Secretary of War, asked President Burnet to relieve him of his command. To succeed Rusk on June 25 Burnet appointed Mirabeau B. Lamar to the post of secretary of war. BUT word arrived that Gen. José de Urrea was moving Mexican army troops towards Goliad, (remember the Goliad Massacre, which took place during the revolt? Texans were still very angry over the slaughter that took place) Rusk changed his mind about retiring. But since Lamar was now officially the Secretary of War, Burnet was hesitant to do so. At that point Thomas Jefferson Green and Felix Huston, who had come into Texas with a contingent of volunteers from Mississippi, began to agitate against Lamar. This caused the soldiers to turn against Lamar and Rusk returned to command.Urrea failed to show up at Goliad so Rusk once again vacated his command and the army chose Huston to replace him. More unrest continued in the ranks of the Army as many of the officers openly defied the government. They even threatened to impose a military dictatorship.Internal squabbles were not the only problems the government faced. On May 19th, a force of Comanche and Caddo Indians attacked Fort Parker, in what is known as the Fort Parker Massacre, and captured two women and three children. One of those children was a nine-year-old girl by the name of Cynthia Parker.
Los Diablos Tejanos - The Texas RangersWelcome to the Hidden History of Texas. this is Episode 41 – Los Diablos Tejanos - The Texas RangersThe Rangers actually came into existence in 1823, when Stephen F. Austin hired ten experienced frontiersmen, that he wanted to send on an expedition to punish a band of Indians. However, it took another 12 years, in 1835, for Texas lawmakers to create the Texas Rangers actually officially. The initial group consisted of fifty-six men that were broken into three companies. Each company was lead by a captain and two lieutenants, and who an immediate superior who held the rank of major. The major was subject to the commander-in-chief of the regular army and was responsible for recruiting, rule enforcement, and discipline. The officers each were promised the same pay as United States dragoons and privates- a total of $1.25 a day. Out of that pay, they had to supply their own mounts, and all other equipment including arms, and food rations. They were on call and had to be ready to ride, equipped "with a good and sufficient horse...[and] with one hundred rounds of powder and ball."In the beginning the Rangers did not do well. During the Texas Revolution they served occasionally as either scouts or couriers, plus any other task the government wanted them to do.On March 6, 1836, the Alamo fell and with it came the runaway scrape. I’ve talked about it in earlier episodes, but this was when the Rangers were really called into action. They were tasked with retrieving cattle, helping refugees get past trails covered with mud and streams swollen with rain. They also performed a scorched earth policy and to keep the Mexican army from benefitting from what was left, they destroyed produce or equipment they found.While these duties were important, the reality is, that during the actual battle of San Jacinto they were relegated to nothing more than escort duty. After independence, their status didn’t really change because President Sam Houston had a well-known friendship with the Indians and the Rangers had been used to raid and attack the various tribes.When Mirabeau B. Lamar succeeded Houston as president of the republic in 1838 he put into place completely different frontier policies. Part of his changes was to convince congress to give him more Rangers. He was able to grow the force to eight companies of mounted volunteers and also keep a standing company of fifty-six Rangers. A month after that he was able to build an additional 5 companies in both Central and South Texas. These proved to be instrumental over the next three years as they waged all-out war against the Indians. They participated in multiple pitched battles, including, the July 1839 Cherokee War in East Texas, the 1840 Council House Fight at San Antonio against the Comanches, and again in 1840 a fight against 1,000 Comanche warriors at the battle of Plum Creek.If the purpose of the Lamar administration was to eliminate or at least drastically reduce the power of the tribes of Texas, he was successful. Lamar favored the actual expulsion of all native peoples from Texas and was able to force many of the tribes to relocate and give up their historic land. When Sam Houston was reelected to the presidency in 1841, he changed his opinion on the Rangers and believed they were the least expensive and the most efficient way to protect frontier settlers.In 1842 Captain John Coffee Hays lead a group of 150 Rangers that played an instrumental role in helping to repel a Mexican invasion. Over the next three years, they also worked to defend the settlers against attacks by various tribes. Hays was responsible for creating several Ranger traditions and esprit de corps and focused on bringing in men who were skilled in frontier warfare.In 1845 Texas was annexed by the United States and in 1846 war broke out with Mexico. This was when the Rangers became known for their fighting skills on a worldwide basis.
Episode 40 - The Cherokee - the "Principal People" ConclusionWelcome to Episode 40 of the Hidden History of Texas, this episode concludes my discussion of the Cherokee. Before I get started, just a quick reminder that I have 3 audiobooks based on this series. You can find information about them at my website https://arctx.org. On the menu, under Digital Products -> Audiobooks. Check them out, thanks,Now back to the Cherokee. Ever since Europeans had landed on the continent, the Cherokee had done their best to coexist. Unfortunately, their desire to live in peace on their ancestral lands conflicted with the new settlers desire to own that same land. As a result, they were forced off their land and as I mentioned in the last episode they arrived in what is now East Texas where they lived in relative peace for a few years. They did their best to maintain neutrality when conflict started between the Anglo Texans and the Mexican Government.After Texas achieved independence in 1836, Texas Republic President Sam Houston was a strong advocate for peace with all Texas tribes. He spent many hours working to keep the Cherokees as allies as he tried to negotiate treaties with the Apache, Comanche, and the Kiowa. This even included the Cherokees agreeing in 1836 to send a company of 25 rangers to help patrol the land west of their settlements. In 1837 Cherokee leader Duwali agreed to be the republic's emissary to the Comanches. However, in 1838 relations began to fall apart after a raid on settlers in East Texas was blamed on a combined Cherokee and Mexican force. As he was getting ready to leave office, Houston once again tried to keep the peace between Texans and the Cherokees. He established a boundary that could have served as a boundary separating the groups. This line upset the Anglos who wanted the land and who believed the Cherokees were actually allies of the Mexicans.Mirabeau B. Lamar who took Houston’s place as Republic President was an ardent foe of the Cherokees and wanted them completely out of Texas. He initiated his campaign of elimination by sending troops to the Neches Saline (a small community in East Texas). When Chief Duwali had his people block the Texans and in response Lamar told the chief that the Cherokee would be relocated beyond the red river. His words to the chief were, "peaceably if they would; forcibly if they must."Lamar then put together a commission who were told they could compensate the Cherokees if they left their land. The Cherokees said no, and the result was what is known as the Cherokee War. The war, although it was really more of a pitched battle took place in the summer of 1839. That was when Chief Duwali led several hundred of his warriors in a fight that took place near present day Tyler Texas. The result was a disaster for the Cherokee as more than a 100 warriors including the chief were killed. The Texans then drove the remaining Cherokees across the Red River into what was then labeled Indian Territory. Not all Cherokee were exiled to the territory, some stayed and lived as fugitives in Texas and still others moved into Mexico. There were some Cherokee who conducted raids and fought for their lands, but they had little to no success.In 1841 Sam Houston was elected to another term as president and he instituted a policy that he thought would help end future hostilities between the tribes and the settlers. This policy gave two treaties with the Cherokees who remained in Texas in 1843 and 1844.After the Cherokees who had been moved north of the Red River they were able to reunite with the much larger group of Cherokee who had been settled in the northeastern corner of the territory. In 1846, the Cherokee signed an agreement with the U.S. that specified that all the Cherokee, those from Texas and those who were already in the Territory had equal rights to the lands of the Cherokee nation.This union lasted until the Civil War.
Welcome to the Hidden History of Texas. this is Episode 39 – The Cherokee – The "Principal People”Forced out of their ancestral homes in what is now the American Southeast by pressure from Anglo Europeans, the Cherokee, or as they call themselves the Ani-Yunwiya, or the principal people, came to settle in what is now East Texas.Used Under Professional License via VecteezyTheir ancestral lands included a large percentage of the southern Appalachian highlands, which included segments of Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. They were an agricultural people and the similarities between their Iroquoian language and tribal migration legends tend to indicate that the tribe originated further to the north of their traditional settled homeland.It was approximately 1540 when Europeans first encountered the Cherokees, that was when Hernando De Soto’s party traveled through their lands. After that 1st and brief encounter it would be more than a hundred years before they had any additional significant interactions with Europeans. It was in the 1670s that prolonged contact between the Cherokees’ and the Europeans took place. The Cherokees quickly adapted many of the basic and fundamental material elements of European culture to their own society. This tendency in turn led the Anglo Europeans to call them, the "Five Civilized Tribes."In response to their, what was a successful attempt to adapt to their Anglo-European neighbors, they established a constitutional government with a senate, a house of representatives, and an elected chief. In 1821, Sequoyah, AKA George Gist or George Guess, took the tribe’s spoken words and created a written language. The Cherokee placed a high value on education and in many instances-maintained schools for their children.While it is true that the Cherokees did derive some advantages from interaction with Europeans, those advantages were far outweighed by the negative effects of that contact. Due to the European desire for territory and empire building, the Cherokee were often decimated by wars, epidemics due to the new diseases introduced by the Europeans, and food shortages. Put together these all caused the population to decline, the area of their territory reduced, and a general weakening of their group identity.In an attempt to maintain their culture, between the years 1790 and 1820, many Cherokees voluntarily migrated west of the Mississippi River. These peoples selttled in what is now Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas. Eventually those who had tried to remain on their ancestral land in the Southeast were ultimately forced to move west due to the implementation of the 1830 United States Indian removal policy. Between the years 1838 and 1839, 16,000 to 18,000 Cherokees were forcibly marched to their new home in northeastern Indian Territory. An estimated 4,000 individuals died on the march, which we now know as the Trail of Tears.It was in 1807 when Cherokees were first reported in Texas, that took place when a small band, probably from one of the Arkansas settlements, established a village on the banks of the Red River. In the summer of that year, a delegation of Cherokees, Pascagoulas, Chickasaws, and Shawnees sought permission from Spanish officials in Nacogdoches, to permanently settle members of their tribes in that province. Hoping to use the group as a buffer against further expansion by the Americans, the Spanish authorities approved the request.For the next few years a small number of Cherokees drifted in and out of Texas. Between 1812 and 1819, the population of Arkansas began to increase and once again the Cherokees were forced to migrate and more of them migrated into Southern Arkansas. But by 1820, they could no longer avoid American competition for the land. At the same time Anglo-Americans had established seven settlements in the valley of the Red River, and the Cherokees decided to move even further south.
Episode 38 – The Kiowa – Nomadic Warriors of the Plains(Not a Complete Transcript) According to their traditions, the Kiowas originally lived at the mouths of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers in present day Montana. As it is now, then it could have very cold winters and the ground covered by a deep layer of snow. As hunter-gatherers, they primarily used a bow and arrow along with their only domesticated animal the dog, which pulled their travois after being attached to it with poles that hooked to a harness.Close neighbors of the Kiowa were the Flatheads and several Athabascan tribes lived to their north and west. Now according to legend the people had a quarrel over the udders of a doe which were the spoils of a hunt. The group that won the delicacy headed to the southeast and went to live with friends, the Crows. Those left behind were never heard of again.The Crows essentially helped change the Kiowas and made them much more mobile. They taught the Kiowas ride horses and hunt buffalo which was something they had never before been able to do. There was some intermarriage with the Crows but they had much more in common with and joined together with the Kiowa Apaches. The first time they were written about was in 1682 by René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, who had knowledge of them from one of a Pani slave boy at Fort St. Louis. That boy called them Manrhouts and Gattacha. When they were in the Yellowstone region in1804, Lewis and Clark heard of them but did not meet them.Moving out of the north and their previous mountainous home, the Kiowas had taken the first steps towards becoming a real part of the Plains Culture by learning to ride horses. This enabled them to hunt buffalo on horseback, and it became their main foodstuff. Of course, with the horse came mobility and they moved steadily towards the south. This mobility also turned the Kiowa into a completely nomadic lifestyle which consisted of predation, pillage, and warfare. They excelled at it until they became one of the most feared and hated of the Plains tribes. Part of their success was how they constantly had the largest number of horses of all the Plains Indians.Around the year of 1790 the Kiowas made a lasting peace with the Comanches and together they traded horses and captives east via the Wichitas and Taovayas to the French and English. In exchange they received guns, ammunition, and metal for points and vermilion for face paint. In 1840, with the encouragement of trader and negotiator William Bent, the Kiowas, Kiowa Apaches, and Comanches joined with the Southern Cheyenne and Arapahos at Bent's Fort on the Arkansas River and agreed to an inter-tribal peace that was never broken. Together the five tribes in union created a formidable barrier that was able to prove an obstacle to those who wished to cross the southern plains. Finally, the U.S. sent the First Dragoons to protect wagon trains on the Santa Fe Trail. In later years, both the Second Dragoons and the Mounted Rifles made an effort to defend and protect the southwest and Texas from Indian raids. In the 1850s the Second United States Cavalry sought to reduce the number of attacks on the frontier settlements but like those before they had little success.For more articles on History - read my column on Medium.
Episode 37 – The Apache warriors of the SouthwestWho were the Apaches? As I’ve talked about in the past, if your idea of the indigenous peoples of the Americas is based upon movies and television then it’s most likely not accurate. If you do a quick google search on movies about the Apaches, you’ll find at least 24. Shoot, there have been numerous white actors who have portrayed Apaches such as Burt Lancaster in the movie “Apache”. The reality is often quite different than what has been portrayed, because honestly Hollywood didn’t really care to get it right. This was especially true in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. So who really were the Apache?They are part of the southern branch of the Athabascan group. That group encompasses a very large family of people, and whose languages are found in Alaska, western Canada, and the American Southwest. Several branches lived in a region that went from the Arkansas River to Northern Mexico and from Central Texas to Central Arizona. Mostly they were divided into Eastern and Western, with the Rio Grande serving as the dividing line.There are two groups, the Lipans and the Mezcaleros, that lived partially or entirely within the borders of Texas. The Apaches were known by multiple names. As a nomadic people, it is likely that several names were actually identifying the same band. Some of the Apache bands in Texas were Limita, Conejero, and Trementina. However, only the Lipan and Mescalero names survived into the nineteenth century. Most likely the name we know and use, Apache, came from the Zuñi word apachu, meaning "enemy," or possibly Awa'tehe, the Ute name for Apaches. When they referred to themselves the words they used are Inde or Diné, which simply means "the people."Apaches migrated into the Southwest sometime between A.D. 1000 and 1400. Separated from their northern bands, they created a home for themselves in the Southwest. They seemed to have migrated south along the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, then spread west into what is now the states of New Mexico and Arizona. Once the Comanche began moving into the same area, they had to relocate further south and west.Both the Lipan and Mescalero Apaches social unit was the extended family. Several families would usually stay together, and the leader was their most prominent member. This individual acted as chief advisor and director of group affairs. Several groups would live close to one another, so they were able to come together for both defense, offense, and the occasional social or ceremonial occasions.The Lipan Apache apparently had no formal organization larger than the band. While being flexible for the immediate members, this type of loose organization did cause issues when it came to establishing relations with the Spanish, and later with the Mexicans, Texans, and Americans. For example while one band might make peace with its enemies, another was free to remain at war with the same group. The band leaders were males; however, females held a central place within the tribe. Once married, the groom would move in and live with his wife's family. He was also required to hunt and work with his in-laws. If the wife should die, the husband was required to stay with her family, and most of the time they would furnish him with a new bride. In contrast, the wife had little to no obligation to the husband's family. However, if he died, his family could provide a cousin or brother for her to marry. Men were allowed to marry more than one woman, but few besides wealthy or prestigious leaders did so. Now since they were required to live with their wife’s family, that meant that any other wife would have to be either a sister or cousin of their current wife.As a nomadic people who subsisted almost entirely on the buffalo, they usually covered much territory. The buffalo provided clothing, and coverage for their tents, which whenever they moved were broken down and loaded onto sleds which were then pu...
Episode 36 – The Comanche - strong warriors with fine horses.Welcome to the Hidden History of Texas. I’m your host Hank Wilson and this is Episode 36 – The Comanche - strong warriors with fine horsesBefore I get started, I want to introduce y’all to a set of books called ‘the Music is Murder saga’. These novels by Heather O’Brien, follow the lives and loves of the O’Conners, the Grants, and the Lockhardts. Something—or someone—ties these three families together and you’ll be caught up in the drama of their situations. The books are set in the world of Rock ‘n’ roll and you’ll be hooked from page one. The 1st book you’ll want is Lockhardt Sound, and as someone who has worked in the music industry, let me tell you, the story could and does happen. Check out her site, booksbyheather.com, you won’t be disappointed. As her site says, long live rock ‘n’ roll.Last time I spoke about the 3 main groups of peoples, the Caddo, Karankawa, and the Jumano who were living in Texas when the Spanish first came into Texas. They did their best to adjust and live with the Spanish but unfortunately they were not prepared to deal with the diseases and frankly the violence they were often met with. There are 3 other groups who more people are probably familiar with due to tv and the movies. They are the Comanche, the Kiowa, and the Apache. All three played a significant role in the early history of Texas and all 3 were involved in conflict with the newcomers, both Spanish and Anglo. Now a word, a quick word about the use of the word tribe when it comes to talking about these groups of peoples. We often substitute “tribe” for “people,” but tribe is probably one of the most inexact-nonspecific terms that we can use. I try to avoid it because not all of the natives of Texas spoke the same language, had the same customs, shared the same clans, or saw themselves as separate and distinct from their neighbors. The Indians of Texas often remade themselves and did so with people who had different languages, customs, and families. So I will do my best to refer to the people by the name they currently use, occasionally using the word tribes or clans or peoples and if anyone knows of more appropriate words, please let me know.In this episode I want to talk about the Comanche. Most folks are familiar with them due to shows such as Lonesome Dove, Last of the Comanche, Comanche Station, the Comancheros, and the Searchers. Historically accurate? Yeah, not so much, except for their depiction of the Comanche as being master horsemen. They were indeed known to many as some of the finest horsemen ever seen. But who were they?Initially, the Comanche lived in the Northern Great Plains and were a branch of the Northern Shoshones. They, like most of the clans at that time travelled by foot and were hunters and gatherers. It appears that sometime in the late 17th century, (i.e. mid to late 1600s) they acquired horses. Once that happened, the game changed and so did their lives.But what caused the Comanche to migrate from their ancestral homelands? As I mentioned, the Comanche acquired horses and once they achieved mobility they were able to leave their traditional mountain home range and then moved onto the plains of eastern Colorado and western Kansas. As with the majority of hunter-gatherer peoples they followed the food. They also learned that if they travelled south they would be able to gather the wild mustangs who roamed the southwest. When this was coupled with a warm climate and buffalo moving made even more sense.Once they began their move, they also began to trade with the Wichita who lived around the Red River. This gave them access to French goods, including firearms. Even though they had arms and were excellent horsemen, they were also under pressure from the Blackfoot and Crow people in their north and east. As a result of their migration, a large swatch of the South Plains, much of North Central and West Texas became Comanche ...
Episode 35 – The Republic and Relations With The TribesBefore I get started, I want to introduce y’all to a set of books called ‘the Music is Murder saga’. These novels by Heather O’Brien, follow the lives and loves of the O’Conners, the Grants, and the Lockhardts. Something—or someone—ties these three families together and you’ll be caught up in the drama of their situations. The books are set in the world of Rock ‘n’ roll and you’ll be hooked from page one. The 1st book you’ll want is Lockhardt Sound, and as someone who has worked in the music industry, let me tell you, the story could and does happen. Check out her site, booksbyheather.com, you won’t be disappointed. As her site says, long live rock ‘n’ roll.When I wrapped up the last episode, I had begun talking about how Republic President Sam Houston had wanted to establish better relationships with the Indians of Texas. Today I’m going to dive deeper into that whole concept and try to get a better understanding of the relationship between the Anglos and the Native tribes. It was very messy, and it became very bloody. Again, I have to bring up the thought, that based on the morality of today, what happened back then is today considered genocide. I’m not going to try and justify what took place. It doesn’t do any good to get angry over the actions that took place, it might serve as a warning of what can, and in many places, still does happen to others.Before I go into the relationships in 1836 and beyond, I want to go back over some of the history of the native people prior to this time. Remember, how in early episodes I talked about how when the Spanish arrived in Texas there were multiple groups or tribes of indigenous people in all parts of Texas. Now I’m not going to go back 10,000 years ago and talk about the Clovis people, there are several excellent books out there that discuss the people and how they evolved, and it does make for fascinating reading. I want to start with those who were here when the first Spanish explorers bumped into Texas.November 6, 1528, is the day when the lives of the native peoples of what is now Texas began to change, and not for the better. That was the day when the Karankawas met Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and the remnants of his crew on Galveston Island. At that time, the Karankawas were one of many tribes or bands of native people who lived in Texas. The Karankawas were a hunter gatherer group who lived mostly on the Texas coast. They were hunter-gatherers, and they necessarily lived a somewhat nomadic life because they had to travel to find food. There were approximately 5 bands that are historically associated with them, one such group were the Cocos who lived the furthest east between Galveston Island and the Colorado River. They were the group that de Vaca’s band of survivors lived with. And that proved to be a disaster for the Cocos, because Cholera hit and killed nearly half of their band. These groups were the first to encounter the Spanish and the first to suffer from those encounters. The native people’s simply were not equipped to handle the germs and diseases that the Europeans brought with them.Another group that suffered from their encounter with the Europeans where the Caddos. Around 1500, the Caddos had already built a complex political system that consisted of alliances between different bands and tribes. In addition to their lands in Texas, they were also located in the Great Plains, Eastern Woodlands, and present-day Arizona and New Mexico. They had built extensive trading networks where they exported salt, pottery, and wood for making bows, and they imported seashells, copper, and flint.It was natural that once the French and Spanish merchants arrived in Texas and the surrounding areas, that the Caddo’s would trade with them as well and that began their downfall. As with the Karankawas the Europeans brought new diseases that had devastated the people.
This video examines the current battle for control of Texas waters. It looks at the current water situation, asks who uses the water, who owns the water, and what's the real argument all about.
In this episode, I continue my discussion of what took place after Mexico took over governmental control of Texas. These laws were passed to try and regulate Anglo immigration.
In January of 1823 Mexico passed the Imperial Colonization Law The first law that was passed in January 1823, and it is known as the Imperial Colonization Law. The law invited Catholic immigrants to settle in Mexico. It provided for the employments of agents, called empresarios, to introduce families in units of 200 and it was an attempt to regulate Anglo immigration.
The national colonization law was passed on August 18, 1824. It became the basis of all colonization contracts that affected Texas, except for Austin’s first contract. The law stated that it was up to the state to set up regulations to get divide unclaimed lands. Congress agreed to not make any major change in the policy of immigration before 1840, but it had the right to stop immigration from certain countries to protect national security.
The Coahuila and Texas State Colonization Law accepted the limits set by the national law. It gave heads of families who immigrated a league of land with the understanding that they should pay the state a small fee in installments at the end of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth years after settlement.
Passage of the restrictive laws was the result of heightened suspicions that the United States intended to seize Texas.
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Reference Sites
Texas State Historical Association - https://www.tshaonline.org/home/
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/power/text2/text2read.htm
The English Texans – Institute of Texas Cultures
So far, I’ve talked about the Native Peoples, the Spanish, and the French and the role they each played in the territory we now call Texas.
Today, I want to talk about life in Texas once Mexico took control of Texas from Spain and also talk about the first group of English folks to enter into Texas. This information comes from the Texas Historical Association and several other sites, that are referenced on our site.
Before we discuss the early colonists and their relations with Mexico, we must understand that the first group of folks of English origin who came into Texas seem to be the probably some of the least colony-minded people to make the move and they often did their best to be invisible to the authorities.....
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To learn more about the peoples who settled visit the Institute of Texan Cultures
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Over the previous 10 episodes I focused primarily on the Native Peoples and the early Spanish explorations and attempts to colonize Texas. Today I will delve a little deeper into the French experiences in Texas. As we know the slogan "Six flags over Texas" is the slogan used to describe the six nations that have had sovereignty over some or all of the current territory of Texas, two of those are Spain (1519–1685; 1690–1821), and France (1685–1690). If you’ll notice the French “rule” ran for only 5 years, now the question arises whether France ever truly ruled Texas or if their flag flew in a very limited way in the territory.
Remember how in episode 9, I discussed how France and Spain had been involved in a war that last for years. Once the war ended, there was still tension between the two nations and that extended to their “colonies” or explorations in the New World. That tension increased after La Salle of France made a claim to Texas by establishing what is referred to La Salle's Texas Settlement on the Texas coast in summer 1685. Who as La Salle and what was this settlement? ...Ya gotta listen to get the answers....
Here's a quick preview of this episode....
So far, I’ve talked about how the Spanish began to explore Texas and a little bit about their interactions with the native peoples. I’ve discussed the various tribes that lived in Texas, their lifestyles, and how they often clashed with each other. In this episode, I’ll explore the relationships between the native tribes and each other and the native tribes and the Spanish and question whether or not Spanish Colonization of Texas had a realistic chance to succeed.
Each tribe was unique, there was always a fluidity in the relationships between the tribes, and the tribes didn’t really believe in or have knowledge of the European concept of nation-states. Now there were confederations of tribes, those were usually loosely organized and didn’t have a central government or a unified army and other elements that we usually associate with a nation-state.
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As I mentioned in our last episode during the period of the 1600s, Spain and France were competitors and they had in fact been at war for years.
Spain was not happy to see France claim any land in the “new World” much less Texas. Spain had established missions, presidios, and civilian settlements from New Mexico to the Pacific and they viewed Texas as a buffer between themselves and their mortal enemies, the French. So needless to say, any incursion into their territory, from the Sabine River, (which separates Louisiana from Texas) westward was troublesome.
As a result of the tension between Spain and France when René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle of France made a claim to Texas by trying to establish what we know as La Salle's Texas Settlement on the Texas coast in summer 1685, the Spanish authorities were not thrilled. Who as La Salle? ---The answer is in the podcast
Here's the preview of what's in today's story....
So far we’ve talked about it was about the clash of cultures that occurred between the Spanish and the Native Peoples and how the missions contributed to the clash.
Today I want to talk about the presidios (or forts) the Spanish established alongside the missions. I’ll also talk about how the French became involved with Tejas and their influence on the Spanish expansion of both missions and presidios.
Once the Spanish decided to expand their territory northward from its base in central Mexico they knew that in order to be successful, they needed to send more than just missionaries. They understood that they needed to send soldiers to protect the missions and civilians to build towns. The combination of presidio, the mission, and the civil settlement became the major foundation the Spanish used for colonization. Martín Enríquez, who was the fourth viceroy of New Spain (1568–80), is generally given credit with being the first to build presidios in the Southwest. He ordered the construction along the main road from Mexico City northward to Zacatecas of casas fuertes (which is translated to "fortified houses"). Over time the name was changed to presidio (from Latin praesidium, "garrisoned place"). The pattern of the early presidios was learned from the Moors (remember how the Moors ruled Spain for close to 800 years, and actually dated and used by the Spanish from the days of their reconquest in Spain. By the early eighteenth century, when Spaniards settled Texas, it had changed but little
Preview of what I'll talk about in this episode
Today I want to talk about the missions that the Spanish established when they decided Texas was part of their territory and they wanted to discourage the French from expanding into Texas. I’ll talk about the reasons for the missions, how many they established, and some of the good and the bad that took place around and in the missions. In the last episode, I spoke about how, in the new world, the Spanish sought the three G’s, God, Gold, and Glory, the Spanish missions in Texas are a direct result of that philosophy.
As a majority Catholic nation, whose people had lived under Moorish (or Muslim) rule for a total of 800 years. However, that 800 years statement is something of a misconception because it makes it seem as if the whole country lived under Moorish rule the entire time in fact, the Moors lived in about two-thirds of Spain (or the Iberian Peninsula) for about 375 years, a little more than half for another 160 years and finally their last stronghold in Granada for about 244 years. Eventually they were driven off of the peninsula and the country came under a unified Catholic rule. (That in itself caused some issues, but this is a Texas History podcast, so I won’t go into depth on that.) However, the rulers of both the country and the church had a goal in mind when they encountered new peoples, and that goal was to convert the natives to Catholicism....
Preview of what I'm talking about in today's show...
Today I want to talk about something that many folks try to avoid, and that is the culture clash that occurred when the Spanish first entered into the region. I want to discuss their interactions with the tribes they encountered, and some of the consequences of those interactions.
In the early days of the 16th century, life among the various tribes was taking place much like it always had. Whether they were the Caddos, the Karankawas on the coast, or the migrating Apaches, their social lives and structure were somewhat similar. Even though each group had access to different types of resources, their societies were not completely alien to each other. Regardless of whether or not they were hunter-gatherers or farmers, the men hunted, fought the wars, and conducted trades. The women farmed or foraged, and in many cases they did both. The tribes weapons, tools, and utensils were made of stone, bone, clay, wood, or animal hides, and these materials were available to almost everyone. They were not savages or barbarians and they all had complex political, religious, and social frameworks that regulated behavior and were put in place to help guarantee the survival and advancement of the community. Main spirits were worshiped, they conducted meaningful ceremonies, and relationships between individuals created families, and leadership of the group were mostly the bravest and brightest. While they did have conflict with each other, mostly when one would intrude on another’s territory, they usually did not attempt to exterminate each other.
Unfortunately, at this time the peoples would come into contact with a culture from Europe that was focused on expanding their power and wealth. In addition, unfortunately, they found themselves unprepared to deal with a new world the Europeans brought; especially in regards to weaponry...
Here's a preview of what I talk about.
So far we’ve talked about the state of the world in the 1500s, the first Spanish expedition in Texas in the 1530s, and we’ve touched a little on the geography and the people who were living in Texas at that time. We have talked about the Jumano, the Apache, the Karankawas (Care-Ran-Kaw-WA) and the Coahuiltecans (KOE-ha-HWEE-ta-kanz), the Comanche, the Kiowas, and the Tonkawas (who were affiliated with the Wichita), because they were the first groups the Spanish encountered and with whom they had extensive dealings.
Today I want to focus on two more of the original main tribes, the Caddo, the Wichita and several of their smaller bands, and a tribe I mentioned in an early episode, the Tigua, and talk some more about Spanish exploration of the interior of Texas.
When we think about how tribes, we often think that they are one homogeneous group, and the Europeans who encountered the first peoples certainly thought that way. Initially the term Caddo was designed to mean only one of at least twenty-five distinct but closely affiliated groups that resided around the Red River in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The term is derived from the French abbreviation of Kadohadacho, a word meaning "real chief" or "real Caddo" in the Kadohadacho dialect. Europeans called the Caddo groups such as the Hasinai, Kadohadacho, and Natchitoches confederacies, although the "confederacies" are better interpreted as family related affiliated groups or bands of Caddo communities....
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This week I want to explore more about the First Peoples of Texas particularly the Comanche, the Kiowas, and the Tonkawas, tribes that the Spanish and the French encountered.
So far we’ve talked about the state of the world in the 1500s, the first Spanish expedition in Texas in the 1530s, and we’ve touched a little on the geography and the people who were living in Texas at that time. We have talked about the Jumano, the Apache, the Karankawas (Care-Ran-Kaw-WA) and the Coahuiltecans (KOE-ha-HWEE-ta-kanz), because they were the first groups the Spanish encountered and with whom they had extensive dealings.
We looked at some of the differences between the Hunter-gathers tribes and the farming tribes. We discussed a little about the religious beliefs and how the majority of tribes embraced the idea of some type of a supreme being and they had creation stories.
For agricultural tribes, various ceremonies accompanied the planting and harvesting of crops. Hunter-gatherers often sought the help of spirits before searching for game, which served as food for the tribe.
One of the major tribes of hunter-gatherers was the Comanche. According to information from the Texas State Historical Association and the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Comanches started out in the Great Plains and began to migrate south due to pressure from other tribes such as the Blackfeet and Crow. Eventually they ended up in Texas, where they discovered abundant game, a warm climate, and an animal that would eventually become almost their trademark wild mustangs.
So far we’ve talked about the state of the world in the 1500s, the first Spanish expedition in Texas in the 1520s, and we’ve touched a little on the geography and the people who were living in Texas at that time. Today I want to delve deeper into “The First People”, after all Indians were here long before the Spanish and any other Europeans, (even my ancestors the Vikings who landed in Newfoundland around 1100 AD, 400 years before Columbus, but that’s a story for another time). Now allow me to try and clear up something, and that is the term “Indians”. The people Europeans encountered when they first reached the shores of the continent where misnamed, because the explorers thought they had reached India and as we know, they were wrong. They thought they had made a grand trip that would help them earn riches. The inhabitants themselves did not refer to themselves in any specific way, other than often using the term “the people”, they did refer to other tribes with names. For example, the early Spanish encountered a group of nomadic buffalo hunters, they called Querechos. That group was later named Apache, which came from the Zuni word for enemy “apachu” which is what they called the Navajo.
In our last episode I told you a little about the world in the 1500s, how Spanish explorers bumped into Texas, and a little bit about more of the Native peoples they encountered. In this episode, I will further explore the explorations of the Spanish, and touch on the geography of Texas because that plays a major role in how Texas was explored and it affected the lives of those who lived here.