Final answer:
Spain saw La Salle's failed expedition in Texas as an opportunity to expand its influence in the region, increasing its military presence and establishing missions to protect its territory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question of how Spain reacted to La Salle’s failed expedition in Texas is d. Spain saw it as an opportunity to expand its influence in the region. After the failure of La Salle's expedition, Spain, seeing a threat to its claims and interests in North America, increased its presence and established forts and missions in Texas to protect its territory from French incursion and presence. This decision not only helped to secure Spain's claim to Texas but also represented a strategic move to deter future expeditions and settlements by other European powers.
The Spanish reluctance to see the United States extend its influence is further illuminated by the Adams-Onís Treaty, where the U.S. expansion into Spanish-claimed territories posed a constant concern for Spain. The Spanish empire, already shaken by revolutions and loss of its territories, perceived the actions of other nations in the region as a chance to reassert its dominance and secure its borders in the New World.