In 1685, the French explorer Rene-Robert Cavalier. Sieur de La Salle, established a fort at Matagorda Bay in Texas. How did the Spanish react to the news of this
French fort?
F. They offered to sell East Texas to King Louis XIV of France,
G. They ignored the fort because it was too small to threaten Spanish Interests
H. They encouraged local Indians to attack the fort to prevent French settlement
J. They sent an expedition to Matagorda and later built their own fort in the same
location

The French colonization of Texas began with the establishment of a fort in present-day southeastern Texas. It was established in 1685 near Arenosa Creek and Matagorda Bay by explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle. He intended to found the colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River, but inaccurate maps and navigational errors caused his ships to anchor instead 400 miles (640 km) to the west, off the coast of Texas. The colony survived until 1688. The present-day town of Inez is near the fort's site. The colony faced numerous difficulties during its brief existence, including Native American raids, epidemics, and harsh conditions. From that base, La Salle led several expeditions to find the Mississippi River. These did not succeed, but La Salle did explore much of the Rio Grande and parts of east Texas.