Early Missionary and Spanish Settlement of Mexico, New Mexico, Texas, and California during the Colonial/Pre-Revolutionary War Period; Camino Real, Santa Fe Trail, Early Missions, etc.
Dates covered: 1531-1787
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1531
The Lady of Guadalupe Retells the traditional Mexican story about the country’s patron saint, the Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to a poor Indian named Juan Diego in 1531. Picture book. Younger to Middle students. Level 5.1. Mexico.
The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe Every December, Grandma Lupita tells Rose the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As they make paper flowers to put around her statue, Grandma begins: Long ago, on a cold December morning near what is now Mexico City, a man named Juan Diego put on his cloak and started down the road to church. Picture book. Younger to Middle students. Level 4.2. Mexico.
1615
Cross of Gold In 1615, a friar sent to Santa Fe by the Viceroy of New Spain meets a boy who shares his concern for the local Indians and who helps him determine the future of this small outpost town as the Camino Real is built to help settle the area between Mexico City and San Antonio, Texas. The Royal Road was established by missionaries and would later bring settlers. Middle to Older students. New Mexico.
1632
The Missions of Texas This book takes an in-depth look at the Spanish missions that once spanned the state of Texas. Some of the most striking buildings were erected and able to survive and thrive during the days of the wild frontier. Interaction with Native Americans and the role that missions played in the growth of Texas towns and cities is engagingly narrated. Frequent sidebars give readers a closer look at each mission, many of which are still standing today. Level 5.3. Middle students. Texas.
1648
A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Ines From a young age, Juana Inés loved words. When she was three, she followed her sister to school and begged the teacher to teach her to read. Juana wanted to become a scholar, but career options for women were limited so she decided to become a nun–Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz–and spend her life in solitude reading and writing. Sor Juana Inés is considered one of the most brilliant writers in Mexico’s history: her poetry is recited by schoolchildren throughout Mexico and is studied at schools and universities around the world. Picture book. Level 3.7. Younger to Middle students. Mexico.
1734
With Domingo Leal in San Antonio 1734 A day in the life of seven-year-old Domingo, who migrated with his family from the Canary Islands to the Spanish Province of Texas. Written for Younger students, but a longer book, so middle and older students will enjoy it. Texas.
1750
Conestoga Wagons Explains how Conestoga wagons were built and driven as well as their historical significance and importance to the early American economy before the invention of the train, truck, or airplane. Level 5.8. Picture book. Younger to Middle students.
1769
The Mission Bell This picture book follows the travels of Father Junipero Serra through the California wilderness, his tender interest in the Indians, and the building of the Missions, the first settlements in California. It is a story of faith and love for children of all faiths. Younger to Middle students.
Junípero Serra A biography of the Franciscan priest-explorer who was instrumental in the development of missions in California in the eighteenth century. Bilingual. Level 5.1. Younger to Middle students. Spain/California.
1772
The Warrior’s Challenge Trailblazer missionary series. THE WARRIOR’S CHALLENGE, Introducing David Zeisberber — When white settlers force a group of Moravian Indians to abandon their thriving Pennsylvania town in 1772, thirteen-year-old Joseph Shabosh and his crippled friend David Heckstein leave with them. As unalike as the two boys are, both long for their lives to be different: Joseph dreams of a warrior’s life of adventure, and David of being less of a burden on his mother. But the peaceful Moravians are not alone as they make their way west. Shadowy figures are spotted slipping among the trees along the trail—Mohegan warriors! A meeting with a proud, strong warrior during a hunt leaves Joseph more certain than ever that he wants to be a warrior, but young David is sure no good can come of spending time with the sly Mohegan. Should Joseph believe the warrior he has befriended against his father’s will, or trust in the words of David and the Moravian missionary who leads them? The two friends are about to face the biggest obstacles of their lives! Middle to Older students. Ohio.
1775
How Far, Felipe? Felipe and his pet donkey travel from Mexico with Colonel Anza’s caravan to settle in California in 1775 and face numerous hardships on the way. Note: mentions animal deaths. Younger to Middle students. Easy reader.
1787
A Mission for the People: The Story of La Purisima When Spanish missionaries arrived on the beautiful shores of what is now the Santa Barbara region of California, they built a mission that came to be called La Purisima (another name for the Virgin Mary). Its construction changed the lives of the native Chumash people forever and shaped the history of all the peoples of the Southwest. Award-winning author and illustrator Mary Ann Fraser tells the exciting story of the Chumash and all those who came to La Purisima–Spanish missionaries and soldiers, Mexican colonists, Russian and British traders who set up ports nearby, and Anglos hoping to strike it rich in the 1840s gold rush. Filled with fascinating details and animated by the sweep of centuries of dramatic events, this tale of one mission opens a window into the history of California and the American West. Younger to Middle students. California.
Videos:
- Santa Fe Trail Tour at the Kansas Museum of History
- Cooperation and Conflict on the Santa Fe Trail
- Amazing Remains of the Santa Fe Trail | History Traveler Episode 9 (Note: includes the phrase “Got the heck out of Dodge”)
Museums/Field Trips (including virtual):
- El Rancho de las Golondrinas, Santa Fe, New Mexico: Village of the 1700s that was a stop on the Camino Real road from Mexico City to Santa Fe, including stopping at many Spanish Missions.
Songs:
