Texan

Precontact era

The different temperaments of Native American tribes directly affected the fates of the European explorers and settlers coming to the area. Friendly tribes taught newcomers how to grow local crops, prepare foods, and hunt wild game, while warlike tribes resisted the settlers. Prior treaties with the Spanish forbade either side from militarizing its native population in any potential conflict between the two nations. Several outbreaks of violence between Native Americans and Texans started to spread in the prelude to the Texas Revolution. Texans accused tribes of stealing livestock. While no proof was found, those in charge of Texas at the time attempted to publicly blame and punish the Caddo, with speculation that the U.S. government was trying to keep them in check this way. The Caddo never turned to violence because of the situation, except in cases of self-defense.