Spanish Missions in California

Paper Summary:

This paper introduces and discusses the Spanish missions in California between 1700 and 1800. Specifically, it looks at how the missions were founded, the Spanish motivation to found them, and the secularization of the missions. It examines what the Spaniards hoped to achieve - how the system had worked in other places that they conquered and how California ended up being different.

From the Paper:

"One of Spain's traditional ways of conquering a new country was to establish missions to bring the "savages" who lived there the "true" faith. Jesuit missionaries traveled with Cortez, and after their domination of Mexico, they established missions across Mexico and into the desert Southwest of what is now the United States. Jos de Glvez came from Spain to serve as the "commandancy-general" of the northern area of Mexico. One of his first aims was to expand Spain's influence into Alta California, to gain more land, more converts to Catholicism, and more world power for Spain. He determined the best way to do this was by adding missions to the already vigorous mission system in Baja California."

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• Term Paper # 146153 : "Spanish California"

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