Mission churches, which followed a similar architectural plan but varied in terms of decoration, are among the earliest examples of colonial architecture. View pictures and read the history of these mission churches, or conventos, in New...

A history of the Apalachee Indians at the time of the Spanish incursions in the early sixteenth century.

Spanish culture had a great impact on the economy, politics, and even geography of the Southwest, California, and Mexico. Read about the Spanish settlements and the structure of the social classes that left an impact the continues even...

How were the Native Americans of Texas affected by the Spanish rule from 1716 to 1821? How did Indian life change when Texas was led by Stephen F. Austin? This article addresses the relations between Indians and white settlers, as well...

A Spanish Franciscan and a French Jesuit report on the reciprocal relationship between natives and Catholic missionaries as Europeans settled New France and New Spain.

Find background information about the life of Father Junipero Serra and his biographer, Father Francisco Palou. Read about the missions they established in California and their work in converting Native Americans to Christianity. Click...

Follow behind the wheels of two bicyclists who rode from mission to mission and documented their journey. They kept in contact with fourth graders in Palo Alto, California who have been studying California Missions.

An activity guide where students refer to the Texas Almanac, which is free to download, for information needed to complete assigned tasks. In this lesson, students research the people who were involved in early Spanish missions, and the...

The Atrial Cross at Acolman offers a fascinating look into the interactions between Spanish friars and Nahua converts in the years directly following the conquest of Mexico. View pictures and descriptions of the cross and the Augustinian...

Get an idea of what Spanish Texas was like during the development of what is now the Lone Star state. Thea area highlighted was situated on the border of Spain's North American empire.

The National Hispanic Business Association provides support and advice to Hispanic businesses in the United States. Information about the Association's mission, history, charters, and newsletter are provided.

This website tells about the emergence of secularization of Spanish California, which resulted in the decline of the missions.

Learn about the Camino Real and the first European settlement west of the Mississippi, San Gabriel, from this captioned exhibit of a stamp issued in 1998 to commemorate Spanish settlement of the U.S. Southwest.

Aimed at teaching young cancer patients about the disease. Also available in Spanish and French, and can be ordered for free on CD by mail.

Junipero Serra (1713-1789) was a missionary who worked in Mexico and later California, mainly among the native people. He was beatified by the Catholic Church in 1988. This is a short profile of his life.

This was the first Spanish Mission in Alta California and the start of El Camino Real. Originally located in the Presidio of San Diego, it later moved a few miles away. The nearby Old Mission Dam, also a NHL, provided water for milling...

Santa Barbara, California, is home to many Spanish Colonial style buildings. This illustrated article from Architect.com describes the unique features.

An 1890 article in "Century Magazine" by Guadalupe Vallejo relates his understanding of Hispanic influences on ranches and missions that existed in California before it became a state.

The only Spanish mission in California to remain under the leadership of the Franciscan Friars since the day of its founding.

A short description of the missionary work of Fray Alonzo Benavides is presented. Please note that ?The Catholic Encyclopedia? is a historic reference source and should be viewed in the context of resource material dated around 1910.

Basic information about the Old Mormon Fort and an accompanying lesson plan for grades 5-12.

The Dominguez-Escalante Expedition of 1776 was tasked with finding a route overland from Santa Fe, New Mexico to a Spanish mission in northern California. This page provides biographies of the people on this journey as well as the maps...

Reminders of this earliest contact between Pueblo Indians and Spanish Colonials: the ruins of four mission churches and the partially excavated pueblo of Las Humanas.

A Spanish Franciscan and a French Jesuit report on the reciprocal relationship between natives and Catholic missionaries as Europeans settled New France and New Spain.