Texas Frontier

CUT TO THE SPANISH COLONIAL GALLERY AS THEY ENTER. SHOT IS SET UP IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SPANISH COLONIAL GALLERY AS THE KIDS MOVE IN FRONT OF THE PRE-COLOMBIAN DISPLAY.

V/O: The Spanish Colonial Gallery covers from pre-Colombian times to the Spanish and French settlements in Texas. It’s filled with artifacts that range from 11,000-BC to 1821 AD.

KIDS ARE LOOKING AT THE GRINDING PESTLE

ALICIA: What’s that with the hole in the bottom?

MATTHEW: That’s a “metate” or mortar and pestle used by Native Americans to grind corn about 4 thousand years ago.

AALIYAH: Wow….four thousand years?

MATTHEW: (Laughing) Yep, all that grinding wore a hole through the mortar!

V/O: What we now know as Texas was once part of a colonial territory of the Spanish Empire known as New Spain. Europeans began to record the history of Texas in earnest when Cabeza de Vaca and the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in 1528 and continued with their establishment of Spanish missions across Texas. The French also wanted Texas and explorer La Salle set up a colony at Fort St. Louis on Matagorda Bay in 1682. Disease, poor diet, and Karankawa Indian attacks killed off the colony after three years. Twenty years later, with competition spurred by the French presence, the Spanish stepped up their efforts to colonize Texas. Over the next 110 years, Spain built many villages and missions in Texas. When Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, Mexican Texas became part of the new nation.

ASHER HAS MOVED OVER TO CASE WITH THE HALBERDS IN IT

ASHER: Whoa what are these?

MATTHEW: They’re called Halberds.

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A TIGHT SHOT OF A HALBERD MOVES THROUGH MIDDLE OF THE FRAME OVER THE KIDS LOOKING AT IT IN THE CASE.

MATTHEW: They were spears the Spanish Cavalry used in battle from the 1300s. They were much feared weapons of war and no enemy wanted to fight with the cavalry carrying that spear.

ASHER: I’ll bet. I wouldn’t wanta be stuck with that. And wow look at this sword.

MAYBE THE SWORD DOES THE SAME THING THE HALBERD DID, MOVING THROUGH THE CENTER OF FRAME OVER THEM AS THEY TALK. IT COMES FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THE HALBERD CAME FROM

MATTHEW: Yeah that’s really cool because the design is Spanish, the blade was made in Germany and an Aztec pattern decorated the hand guard.

ASHER IS LOOKING AT THE SWORD

ASHER: You mean the Aztecs who ruled Mexico before they were conquered by the Spanish?

MATTHEW: You got it!

AALIYAH IS LOOKING AT THE FAN

AALIYAH: Ohhh look at this.

THE FAN OPENS IN A SPACE NEXT TO THE KIDS AS THEY LOOK AT IT IN THE CASE MATTHEW: Isn’t that amazing. It’s a hand-painted French fan made out of ivory and gold, that’s from 1749. See the map of Texas painted in the corner.

ALICIA: That’s so beautiful. Interesting to think Texas was important to people in France even though it was thousands of miles away!

MATTHEW: Yep.

CUT TO THE GROUP LOOKING AT THE MATER DOLOROSA PAINTING

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ALICIA: Oh this is beautiful.

MATTHEW: Yeah that’s one of the most amazing paintings in the gallery. It’s called Mater Dolorosa, which means “Our Lady of Sorrows.” It’s painted on a 40- pound piece of copper. It’s the copper that makes it glow.

AALIYAH: She does looks sad.

MATTHEW: She is….she lost her son. Come on.

THEY ARE NOW AT THE CASE WITH THE TORTOISE SHELL CHEST IN IT

MATTHEW: And this is a mother of pearl and tortoise shell chest that carried the Spanish royal land grant for California.

ALICIA: It’s amazing.

ASHER: They built this cool box just to carry a piece of paper? Is the lock silver?

MATTHEW: Yeah but a pretty important piece of paper so the lock has the seal of the Spanish King Carlos. Ok, come on guys, we have a lot more to see.

HE TURNS TO CAMERA AND ADDRESSES IT

MATTHEW: And you guys can tag along with us.

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