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The Spanish Missions is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on why the Spanish built missions and what they caused, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.His.14.3-5. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

The Spanish Missions

D2.His.14.3-5

NameDate

Read each text, then answer the questions.

1.Read the text, then answer the questions.

Missions, Presidios and Pueblos

An information text written for this worksheet. Spain settled its northern lands with three kinds of places. A mission was run by priests, who taught the Catholic faith and put Native people to work. A presidio was a fort with soldiers. It was built near missions to protect them and to defend Spain's claim to the land. A pueblo was a town of settlers who farmed and traded, such as Los Angeles, founded in 1781. Santa Fe, in New Mexico, was founded about 1610 and became the capital of Spain's colony there. In 1680 the Pueblo peoples of New Mexico rose up together, led by a man named Popé, and drove the Spanish out for twelve years.

  1. 1. Which town in the text was founded in 1781?
  2. 2. Why did the Spanish leave New Mexico for twelve years after 1680?
  3. 3. Why were presidios built near missions?
2.Read the text, then answer the questions.

The California Missions

An information text written for this worksheet. In 1769 Spain began building missions in Alta California, starting at San Diego. Father Junípero Serra led the first missions. By 1823 there were 21, spread along the coast from San Diego to Sonoma. Spain wanted to hold the coast against Russia and Britain, and to make Native people Catholic farmers and workers. Native people baptized at a mission were not allowed to leave it freely. Soldiers brought back those who ran away. They worked in the fields, in the workshops and with the herds of cattle and sheep. Crowded living and new diseases killed many thousands, and the Native population of the coast fell sharply.

  1. 1. Whose own words are missing from this text?
  2. 2. Why did Spain want missions along the California coast?
  3. 3. Who led the first California missions?

LessonPrint · D2.His.14.3-5 · Set 10 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — The Spanish Missions

Set 10. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Los Angeles. 2. The Pueblo peoples rose up together, led by Popé, and drove the Spanish out. 3. To protect the missions and to defend Spain's claim to the land.
  2. 2.1. The words of the Native people who lived and worked at the missions. 2. To hold the coast against Russia and Britain and to make Native people Catholic farmers and workers. 3. Father Junípero Serra.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.His.14.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.