Question

"The La Salle expedition showed that France was interested in what is now Texas. The

Spanish decided that to protect their daim, they needed settlements there. Over the
next several decades, Spain established missions, military outposts called presidios,
and towns in lands occupied by American Indians. These efforts by the Spanish in the
late 1690s helped begin and define the Spanish Colonial era.
-Texas History
Based on the excerpt, what was the significance of the La Salle expedition to the
Spanish?

A) It sparked Spanish fears for potential French interest in Texas.
B) It gave the French more land occupied by American Indians.
C) It increased Spanish interest in giving up the Mississippi River Valley.
D) It emphasized the risks of having too many missions spread out.

Answer 1

The La Salle expedition provoked Spanish concern over French interest in Texas, leading to Spanish reinforcement of the region through missions, presidios, and settlements.

Step-by-step explanation:

The significance of the La Salle expedition to the Spanish was that it sparked Spanish fears for potential French interest in Texas. This is because the expedition showed that France was eyeing the area that is now known as Texas, an area that was under Spanish claim. The Spanish response was the establishment of missions, military outposts called presidios, and towns to protect their claim from being threatened by the French presence. This stabilization of Spanish presence in the region became part of what defined the Spanish Colonial era in the late 1690s.