introduction: |
Spain’s desire to expand their empire lead them to Mexico conquer it under the command of Hernan Cortez in 1522. However, still striving to expand and gain resources and riches for the Spanish empire the Spaniards began to look northward to the land that would later be known as California. Soon after they began to attempt to settle and explore the land it proved to be too difficult and expensive for the empire thus abandoning the idea of settling California for the next 167 years. When Spain began to see that other powers such as America and Russia were eying California they decided it was time to finish what they started and colonize California. Together with the church the Spaniards began a sacred quest in which they would not only colonize California but also convert and save the lives of the Natives. When Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821, the missions began to lose power and ultimately lost all their land which was divided and distributed amongst elite families known as Californios giving way to what is now known as the Rancho period. The Spanish rule fails in the end loosing California and leaving only the devastation of the Native Americans.
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Spanish exploration in California began in the early 1500’s. For some exploring California had become an obsession after hearing mythical stories of places like the city of El Dorado. One of this explores was Hernan Cortez. In 1535 Cortez and his company landed in Baja California, which he named Santa Cruz (Starr, 2005). He and his company explored the surrounding area for a period of two years but were unable to establish any settlements. Cortez’s expedition, though not successful in establishing settlements, he did manage to expand New Spain’s borders to Alta California (Starr, 2005). He also paved the way for future explorers like Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. In 1542 Cabrillo set of on an expedition to not only explore California’s coastline but also to find a way to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Cabrillo’s company consisted of two small ships and their crew.
Three months after he had set sail he landed in what is now San Diego (Starr, 2005). Within a year of his arrival Cabrillo injured himself and ended up losing his life because of that injury. Before he took his last breath he commanded his company to continue on with the exploration and so they did. |
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The shoreline of California were not easy to explore. This proved to be too much for both explores and their crew. Many lives were lost in the process of exploring the land. The terrain was also difficult to explore and little by little the interest in California began to fade away. The Spaniards did not have enough man power or wealth to begin to colonize. Also, they did not have a way in which they can maintain control of this area from New Spain (Mexico) (Starr, 2005). This presented a problem for the Spanish and so for about 167 years the Spanish abandoned the idea of colonizing California (Starr, 2005).
During this time of exploration the relationship with the Native Americans were not challenging. Many of the natives did not welcome the Spaniard nor did they want to form relationships with them because they had knowledge that Europeans would bring nothing but sorrow to Natives. They would either enslave their people, take their women or bring death through disease (Havkel, 2007). However there were some Natives who did form relationships with the Spanish through trade. The presence of the Spanish altered the trade of the Natives. They would often steal the horses and other livestock from the Spanish and then trade them between themselves and other neighboring Natives. Some researchers believe that this is what lead to the spread of the horses amongst the natives. Often the Spanish would offer the Natives gifts in exchange for peace. They would often offer clothes, blankets, hats and tobacco (Havkel, 2007). There were other times when the Natives would often be intimidated upon the sight of a Spanish in full armor and so they would let the Spanish control their area and trade. The Spanish expeditions which the Natives encountered often consisted of a military leader, ten to fifteen officers, fifty to seventy soldiers five to eight missionaries and other men who would specialize in certain areas of craftsmanship (Havkel, 2007). This expeditions consisted mainly of men but on few occasions there were a few women and children with them.
During this time of exploration the relationship with the Native Americans were not challenging. Many of the natives did not welcome the Spaniard nor did they want to form relationships with them because they had knowledge that Europeans would bring nothing but sorrow to Natives. They would either enslave their people, take their women or bring death through disease (Havkel, 2007). However there were some Natives who did form relationships with the Spanish through trade. The presence of the Spanish altered the trade of the Natives. They would often steal the horses and other livestock from the Spanish and then trade them between themselves and other neighboring Natives. Some researchers believe that this is what lead to the spread of the horses amongst the natives. Often the Spanish would offer the Natives gifts in exchange for peace. They would often offer clothes, blankets, hats and tobacco (Havkel, 2007). There were other times when the Natives would often be intimidated upon the sight of a Spanish in full armor and so they would let the Spanish control their area and trade. The Spanish expeditions which the Natives encountered often consisted of a military leader, ten to fifteen officers, fifty to seventy soldiers five to eight missionaries and other men who would specialize in certain areas of craftsmanship (Havkel, 2007). This expeditions consisted mainly of men but on few occasions there were a few women and children with them.
Mission system and secularization |
Though it is said that California was abandoned this was not entirely true. A group named the Company of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. Ignacio de Loyola was the leader of this group. He had previously served as a soldier who then turned into a priest. This group of men were missionaries but they believed that the correct way to evangelize and save the souls of the Natives was to convert them into Catholicism but also preserve their culture (Starr, 2005). For about 70 years the Jesuits established missions and ruled parts of northern New Spain and Baja California with the permission of Spain (Starr, 2005). The Jesuits had become too strong for the liking of the Spaniards and so they were to be brought down.
San Diego to Monterey Bay and save the souls of the Natives (The California Missions Source Book, 2009). Though it might sound as a pretext of the Spanish to achieve control over the Natives for the Catholic Church it was of grace importance to convert and save the lives of the Natives. In order to have this systems work the friars were commanded to recruit Natives, convert them and then have them |
help establish the missions (The California Missions Source Book, 2009). This way they would not run into the same problem as before where they did not have enough man power or finance to maintain and establish these settlements. The settlement of the missions was not an easy road. In the beginning the expedition was faced with a lot of hardships like lack of food, diseases and bad weather which ultimately ended with the death of many. When working on establishing the mission systems they were faced with other struggles such as having to integrate Natives from many different tribes who spoke close to one hundred different languages and have them work together for one purpose (The California Missions Source Book, 2009).
During the first years the missions they relied on many of their supplies such as seeds, clothes and medical supplies to be delivered from New Mexico through ship cargoes (The California Missions Source Book, 2009). The missionaries then realized that this was a costly, slow and inefficient way of life. They then taught the Natives, who were hunter gatherers, to cultivate and grow food to be able to maintain the mission and its people. This proved to be a hard task for the Natives. They were so used to being free and hunting provided that freedom. Having to cultivate and learn to grow food European style tied them up to the land thus losing their freedom (The California Missions Source Book, 2009). By this time the Spanish were outnumbered by the natives. In the missions there were about two head missionaries, a military guard and about four to five soldiers. Since the natives were in the thousands the Spanish thought it would be best if they joined forces with an Indian leader and let him take charge and arrange the mission life as well as the labor of the Natives (Havkel, 2007). They would allow the Natives to elect a leader and the leader was supposed to be the mediator between the Natives and the Spanish. However, many times the Spanish would try to push for a leader which they knew they could manipulate and thus achieve what they wanted (Havkel, 2007).
Some of the Natives in the in the missions were kept there by force. The Natives were not always given the choice to enter the mission systems. There were some who were brought to the mission by force and then beaten into the system (Starr, Laws Of The Indies, 2005). There were some who did enter the system by choice. However, not all of the Natives like the idea of joining the Spanish and become part of them mission systems and so found ways to infiltrate themselves in the missions and rally Natives and lead them to rebel against the Spanish (Havkel, 2007). Sometimes this rebellions ended with the death of some Spanish and Natives.
The missions and their systems had been achieving the goals which had been set in the expedition. Between the years 1810 and 1820 the missions began do decline in power. Not only had they been suffering with diseases such as measles but also Spain began to abandon the missions because they were fighting the war against Mexico which they lost. This then send the missions into chaos and the Natives revolted and fought for their freedom. After Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821 they were not able to control or look after Alta and Baja California and so the land was then divided into ranchos which were then controlled by the Californios and thus gave way for what is now known as Mexican California or the Rancho period (Starr, A Troubled Territory: Mexican California, 2005).
This period only last about thirty years. Mexico, like the Spanish, had trouble controlling California because it was so far. Therefore, the land was divided amongst wealthy families who referred to themselves as “Gente de Razon”. The land was distributed based upon gentlemen’s agreement. This meant that they would map out their own land. This resulted in the lands were poorly marked, this then lead to problems once California joined America.
During the first years the missions they relied on many of their supplies such as seeds, clothes and medical supplies to be delivered from New Mexico through ship cargoes (The California Missions Source Book, 2009). The missionaries then realized that this was a costly, slow and inefficient way of life. They then taught the Natives, who were hunter gatherers, to cultivate and grow food to be able to maintain the mission and its people. This proved to be a hard task for the Natives. They were so used to being free and hunting provided that freedom. Having to cultivate and learn to grow food European style tied them up to the land thus losing their freedom (The California Missions Source Book, 2009). By this time the Spanish were outnumbered by the natives. In the missions there were about two head missionaries, a military guard and about four to five soldiers. Since the natives were in the thousands the Spanish thought it would be best if they joined forces with an Indian leader and let him take charge and arrange the mission life as well as the labor of the Natives (Havkel, 2007). They would allow the Natives to elect a leader and the leader was supposed to be the mediator between the Natives and the Spanish. However, many times the Spanish would try to push for a leader which they knew they could manipulate and thus achieve what they wanted (Havkel, 2007).
Some of the Natives in the in the missions were kept there by force. The Natives were not always given the choice to enter the mission systems. There were some who were brought to the mission by force and then beaten into the system (Starr, Laws Of The Indies, 2005). There were some who did enter the system by choice. However, not all of the Natives like the idea of joining the Spanish and become part of them mission systems and so found ways to infiltrate themselves in the missions and rally Natives and lead them to rebel against the Spanish (Havkel, 2007). Sometimes this rebellions ended with the death of some Spanish and Natives.
The missions and their systems had been achieving the goals which had been set in the expedition. Between the years 1810 and 1820 the missions began do decline in power. Not only had they been suffering with diseases such as measles but also Spain began to abandon the missions because they were fighting the war against Mexico which they lost. This then send the missions into chaos and the Natives revolted and fought for their freedom. After Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821 they were not able to control or look after Alta and Baja California and so the land was then divided into ranchos which were then controlled by the Californios and thus gave way for what is now known as Mexican California or the Rancho period (Starr, A Troubled Territory: Mexican California, 2005).
This period only last about thirty years. Mexico, like the Spanish, had trouble controlling California because it was so far. Therefore, the land was divided amongst wealthy families who referred to themselves as “Gente de Razon”. The land was distributed based upon gentlemen’s agreement. This meant that they would map out their own land. This resulted in the lands were poorly marked, this then lead to problems once California joined America.
In the Ranchos there was a hierarchical order. There was the Ranch families then the pobladors and then, just like always, the Indians were placed at the bottom. The natives would be the ones who would maintain the land and the home of the Jefe. The conditions in which the Natives lived and worked in were harsh (Starr, A Troubled Territory: Mexican CAlifornia, 2005). Many of the Natives who worked in the Ranchos were sold through slavery. The Natives from around the area would sell girls from ages 12-20 in exchange of horses (Havkel, 2007).
In the Ranchos it was not uncommon for there to be about twenty relatives in one household. During this time there was a lot of connections between the Rancho families. Families married to other families from other Ranchos and made connections (Starr, A Troubled Territory: Mexican California, 2005). The way that the Jefes would maintain the loyalty of the people by throwing fiestas and through patronage. This would be done in order to ensure the well behavior and loyalty of those on his land. The families and their Patrones controlled this are during this period until the Americans set their eyes on California in hopes of fulfilling their Manifest Destiny by expanding their land from sea to shining sea. In Spain’s quest of expansion of their territory ended with the devastation of many Natives and their culture. They were willing to do almost anything to achieve their goal of expansion and ultimately failed and lost all the land they had been fighting for. In the end they just left many of the Natives in unfamiliar lands as they moved them through slave trade. All of the efforts the Spanish put into expanded lasted only a little while before they lost everything. Discussion Questions:
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mexican california: the rancho period |
Sources:
(2009). In D. J. McLaughlin, & R. G. Mendoza, The California Missions Source Book (p. 12). Pentacle Press.
Havkel, S. W. (2007). In P. C. Mancall, & J. H. Merrell, American Encounters (pp. 637-656). New York: Taylor & Francis Group.
Starr, K. (2005). A Troubled Territory: Mexican California. In K. Starr, California (pp. 45-70). New York: Modern Library.
Starr, K. (2005). Laws Of The Indies. In K. Starr, California (pp. 17-42). New York: Modern Library.
Havkel, S. W. (2007). In P. C. Mancall, & J. H. Merrell, American Encounters (pp. 637-656). New York: Taylor & Francis Group.
Starr, K. (2005). A Troubled Territory: Mexican California. In K. Starr, California (pp. 45-70). New York: Modern Library.
Starr, K. (2005). Laws Of The Indies. In K. Starr, California (pp. 17-42). New York: Modern Library.