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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 Along the San Antonio River

An information text written for this worksheet. Spain claimed the land that is now Texas and sent priests and soldiers north from Mexico. In 1718 the Spanish founded the mission of San Antonio de Valero, later called the Alamo, beside the San Antonio River. By 1731 five missions stood along that river. Spain wanted the missions to turn Native people into Catholic subjects of the king, and to keep France out of Texas. Coahuiltecan people came to the missions, some for food and for protection from raids, some under pressure. Inside the missions they were made to farm, herd cattle and build, and many died of diseases the Spanish brought.

  1. 1. What work were people made to do inside the missions?
  2. 2. In what year was the mission of San Antonio de Valero founded?
  3. 3. Why did many people at the missions die?
2.Read the text, then answer the questions.

After Mexico Became Independent

An information text written for this worksheet. Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, and the missions came under Mexico. In 1833 Mexico passed a law to close the California missions, and over the next few years their lands were taken from the priests. Most of the land was granted to Mexican settlers as huge cattle ranches called ranchos. The law said mission land should go to the Native people who had worked it, but very little did. Many Native people had to work on the ranchos for food and shelter instead of wages. Ranchos sold cattle hides and tallow, a fat used for candles and soap, to ships from the United States and Britain.

  1. 1. Why did many Native people work on the ranchos?
  2. 2. Why did the missions come under Mexico?
  3. 3. What would you need to look at to learn how much land Native people actually received?

LessonPrint · D2.His.14.3-5 · Set 6 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — The Spanish Missions

Set 6. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. They were made to farm, herd cattle and build. 2. In 1718, beside the San Antonio River. 3. They died of diseases the Spanish brought.
  2. 2.1. Very little mission land went to them, so they had to work for food and shelter. 2. Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. 3. Land records from the time, because the text only says very little land went to them.

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