Faces of Béxar: Early San Antonio and Texas

by Jesús F. De la Teja

Overview

Winner, 2019 Summerfield G. Robert Award, sponsored by The Sons of the Republic of Texas

Faces of Béxar showcases the finest work of Jesús F. de la Teja, a foremost authority on Spanish colonial Mexico and Texas through the Republic. These essays trace the arc of the author’s career over a quarter of a century. A new bibliographic essay on early San Antonio and Texas history rounds out the collection, showing where Tejano history has been, is now, and where it might go in the future.

For de la Teja, the Tejano experience in San Antonio is a case study of a community in transition, one moved by forces within and without. From its beginnings as an imperial outpost to becoming the center of another, newer empire—itself in transition—the social, political, and military history of San Antonio was central to Texas history, to say nothing of the larger contexts of Mexican and American history. Faces of Béxar explores this and more, including San Antonio's origins as a military settlement, the community's economic ties to Saltillo, its role in the fight for Mexican independence, and the motivations of Tejanos for joining Anglo Texans in the struggle for independence.

Taken together, Faces of Béxar stands to be a milestone in the growing literature on Tejano history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623494025
Publisher:	Texas A&M University Press
Publication date:	03/15/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

JESÚS F. DE LA TEJA is the Jerome H. and Catherine E. Supple Professor of Southwestern Studies, Regents’ Professor of History, and the director of the Center for the Study of the Southwest at Texas State University. He is the author of numerous books on Texas history and a former State Historian of Texas. He resides in Austin, Texas.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations vi

Preface vii

Introduction 1

1 Spanish Colonial Texas 11

2 "A Fine Country with Broad Plains-The Most Beautiful in New Spain": Views of Land and Nature in Colonial San Antonio 35

3 Forgotten Founders: The Military Settlers of Eighteenth-Century San Antonio de Béxar 53

4 "To the Last Drop of Our Blood": Defending King and Empire in San Antonio 67

5 The Saltillo Fair and Its San Antonio Connections 79

6 Why Urbano and Maria Trinidad Can't Get Married: Social Relations in Late Colonial San Antonio 93

7 "Buena gana tenía de ir a jugar": The Recreational World of Early San Antonio, Texas, 1718-1845 119

8 Discovering the Tejano Community in "Early" Texas 139

9 Rebellion on the Frontier 161

10 The Colonization and Independence of Texas: A Tejano Perspective 181

Bibliographic Essay 199

Index 215

Interviews

The Texas history market will be the primary focus for this book, but because of the subject it may attract additional attention from scholars and readers studying Mexican American history more broadly.  

Editorial Reviews

"This volume contains a selection of well-researched and cogently-written essays which shed important new light on our historical understanding of Spanish colonial San Antonio. Professor de la Teja brings to this book his deep and profound understanding of the northern Spanish Borderlands. His keen analysis of the daily life, natural environment, economy, political events, popular recreations and the city’s reaction to the Mexican independence movement constitutes nothing short of a full-scale historical reinterpretation of Spanish San Antonio as a fully-functioning town on the northern frontier of New Spain. This book is a singular contribution to the historical literature which will stand across the decades as an essential scholarly study for anyone interested in Spanish colonial Texas."—Light Townsend Cummins, Bryan professor of History, Austin College

Light Townsend Cummins

"Read this book. Full stop. If you know a lot about the history of San Antonio, Faces of Béxar will school you in the intricacies of a community that you thought you knew inside-out. If you are new to the Alamo City, this superb collection of Frank de la Teja's work will make it clear why San Antonio remains one of the most complicated but fascinating cities in Texas. Either way, you're in for a treat."—Char Miller, author of Deep in the Heart of San Antionio: Land & Life in South Texas

Char Miller

"This superb collection of scholarly works by Jesus Francisco (Frank) de la Teja brings together nearly thirty years of his extensive research and writing in the field of Texas History. Centered on San Antonio and focusing on its Hispanic society, Dr. de la Teja provides readers with a wealth of in-depth information and knowledge about the Tejano culture, society and history. It is a must-read for anyone interested in broadening their knowledge of the Hispanic roots of San Antonio, and Texas, history. “— Carolina Castillo Crimm, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Sam Houston State University    

Carolina Castillo Crimm

“Faces of Béxar:  Early San Antonio and Texas will assuredly become the basic text for Spanish and Mexican Texas.  It incorporates Spanish imperial objectives, early Mexican national aspirations and the turmoil of nation-building, Native American prerogatives, and the economic opportunities introduced by the new arrivals from the United States into the daily lives of Bexareños.  Quite a task!  And excellently done, bringing together previously published articles and chapters and significant new research by the author.  All-important topics – politics, race and ethnicity, class, gender, religion, economics — are thoroughly covered in this very engaging narrative of the Mexicans, Canary islanders and mission Indians who forged the founding Tejano community.”—Gilberto M. Hinojosa, professor emeritus, department of History, University of the Incarnate Word

Gilberto M. Hinojosa

"In Faces of Béxar: Early San Antonio and Texas we find approaches that display use of the most recent historiographic directions, coverage of Tejano social, political, economic, and military life, descriptions of Béxareños in roles as varied as government officials, merchants, presidial soldiers, clergymen, and of course plain folks, discussions of pobladores as agents in history and not as historical figures languishing in indolence and passivity, as well as examinations of issues such as race, class, and entrepreneurship. Certainly, Faces of Béxar is an impressive collection from one of the foremost scholars of early San Antonio and its inhabitants."—Arnoldo De León, Ph.D., distinguished professor of History emeritus, Angelo State University

Arnoldo De León

"In Faces of Béxar: Early San Antonio and Texas we find approaches that display use of the most recent historiographic directions, coverage of Tejano social, political, economic, and military life, descriptions of Béxareños in roles as varied as government officials, merchants, presidial soldiers, clergymen, and of course plain folks, discussions of pobladores as agents in history and not as historical figures languishing in indolence and passivity, as well as examinations of issues such as race, class, and entrepreneurship. Certainly, Faces of Béxar is an impressive collection from one of the foremost scholars of early San Antonio and its inhabitants."—Arnoldo De León, Ph.D., distinguished professor of History emeritus, Angelo State University

Arnoldo De León

"In Faces of Béxar: Early San Antonio and Texas we find approaches that display use of the most recent historiographic directions, coverage of Tejano social, political, economic, and military life, descriptions of Béxareños in roles as varied as government officials, merchants, presidial soldiers, clergymen, and of course plain folks, discussions of pobladores as agents in history and not as historical figures languishing in indolence and passivity, as well as examinations of issues such as race, class, and entrepreneurship. Certainly, Faces of Béxar is an impressive collection from one of the foremost scholars of early San Antonio and its inhabitants."—Arnoldo De León, Ph.D., distinguished professor of History emeritus, Angelo State University

Arnoldo De León