Final answer:
The Spanish priests lived at Spanish missions near Mississippian towns to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism and protect them from other tribes. They saw themselves as conquerors and sought to control the natives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spanish priests lived at Spanish missions near the Mississippian towns for a combination of reasons. One reason was to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism, as the Spanish sought to bring about a spiritual conquest in the New World. The priests wanted the natives to abandon their old ways and fully adopt Catholic practices. Additionally, the priests wanted to protect the Native Americans from other native tribes who may have sought war or disruption of their lives. The Spanish viewed themselves as conquerors and believed it was their duty to control native peoples and impose their religious beliefs upon them.