Tayshas

The vast, rich territory that would eventually become the states of Texas, New Mexico, parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado was filled with wild game, pure flowing rivers, groves of various species of trees, patches of black-bottom swamps, hills, and thousands of acres of semi-arid plains. The indigenous peoples that freely roamed this expanse of varied geography and endured the unpredictable weather patterns learned to live in harmony and respect on the land. This nomadic, pastoral way of life would be short-lived and ultimately vanish once invaders from across the Atlantic Ocean discovered the riches and promise of the New World.

The first Spanish expedition led by Pánfilio de Nárvaez departed Florida in 1528 and landed on the shore of present-day Galveston. The survivors of this expedition were washed ashore after a hurricane and were rescued by Karankawa natives. These early explorers later encountered Coahuiltecans farther down the coast and into the northwest region. In the center were the Tonkawas, who were typical hunter-gatherers and called themselves Ticwantic, the "most human of people." In the upper northeastern section were approximately two dozen various bands of Kä'dohädacho (Caddo) that also roamed through the Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma territories. The Caddos tended to form loose confederations with surrounding tribes, including the Hasinai, who were also semi-agricultural societies living in settled villages and were fairly peaceful except when it came to their long-standing enemy, the Comanche.

The territory Narváez's expedition originally discovered was later occupied for short periods of time by the French, who introduced the tribes to firearms in trade for pelts. They also used the tribes as allies in their territorial wars with the Spanish. Conversely, the Spanish introduced horses to the tribes in lieu of trade goods with the same purpose in mind when war with the French occurred. Both France and Spain attempted to use the various tribes against each other in a vain attempt to control them and the territory they roamed, often a useless and wasted effort. The only benefit the tribes derived from French and Spanish occupation was obtaining a working knowledge of firearms and horses, which eventually made them more effective hunters and warriors.

After the Spanish managed to gain a firmer foothold in the new territory, they encountered another large tribe called the Hasinai. The Hasinai referred to themselves as Tayshas, "allies."

When the Spanish arrived, this word was pronounced as "Tejas," which would eventually evolve into the present-day name of Texas. The Hasinai were wary of the Spaniards and down right hostile to any conversion attempts by Catholic monks, as Catholicism was in direct conflict of their spiritual beliefs. The Hasinai, along with the Caddos, believed in a deity who created the world and was omnipotent in directing all living creatures. Contrary to the Bible, they believed that in the beginningthere was a mother and two daughters involved in the creation process, and women of both tribes played an active spiritual role on equal footing with the men. The monks considered this a totally heathen practice, and when they tried to insinuate their beliefs within the tribes, conflict was inevitable.

The conquistadores, believing they had a divine right to claim the land in the name of the pope and king, gave the native peoples a choice of just how this uncompromising conversion process was to be carried out: convert or die. Many natives did appear to convert, but some did not even entertain the idea. When violent conversion confronted them, they melted into the vast region where they could live without Spanish interference.

In 1689, Spanish soldiers and priests ventured far north beyond the existing Hasinai settlements, near present-day Dallas, a region controlled by the Caddos. The same religious conversion tactics were pressed upon the Caddos with similar results. The Spanish also brought with them smallpox, which swept through the Caddos with devastating effects. Over three thousand people died of this terrible disease during the next two years. In 1692, a caddi (chief) informed the foreigners that "all of his people were very annoyed with the Spanish and it would be better if they left his lands." The Spanish departed then spent the next twenty years trying desperately to maintain viable trade with the Hasinai and Caddos.

After exploring the eastern section of the territory, the Spaniards turned their sights toward the central section, where they encountered small bands of nomadic tribes: Alabama-Coushatta, Anadarko, Arapaho, Biloxi, Chickasaw, Delaware, Kichi, Kiowa, Kickapoo, Muskogee, Pakana, Potawami, Shawnee, Tawakoni, Tigua, Witchita, and Waco. The Spanish encountered the same opposition with conquest and conversion, trade and peace with these tribes as they had with the Caddo and Hasinai. They would have zero success with the Comanche living in other various areas of the territory.

In the Trans-Pecos area were the Jumanos, a comparable tribe to the Pueblo who farmed corn, beans, and squash and hunted game. The Spaniards, in order to obtain adequate slave labor for the silver mines in Chihuahua, began raiding and capturing the Jumanos, which eventually decimated their population. Years later when the Apache overran their territory, the remaining scant numbers of Jumanos were absorbed into their lower ranks. In March of 1694, hostilities and resulting casualties between the tribes and Spaniards became so severe the viceroy of Mexico formally ordered the abandonment of the Trans-Pecos area.

During a period of time from 1716 to 1816, the Spanish were unable to adequately populate or protect the vast region north of the Rio Grande River. The Spanish relied heavily on a system of Franciscan missions to help maintain military control over the Apache-Lipan, Comanche, Witchita, and Waco, and pitting them against each other was done so at great peril. In a report to the King of Spain in 1779, Padre Juan Augustin Morfi stated:

The Apache-Lippans, even after a half a century, during which time they have sustained considerable losses in the war waged against us, and still more in the continuous struggle with the Comanche and other nations of the north, are still able to put in the field two thousand warriors. ... The province has declined day to day so that even though we still call ourselves its masters, we do not exercise dominion over afoot of land beyond San Antonio.

To combat this situation Spanish authorities concluded that granting land to Anglos and "civilized" Native American tribes willing to relocate in the province would be a satisfactory and workable solution. In 1798, the first land grant registered...