Native Americans in California Missions Essay Example for Free

autochthonal Americans in California agencys EssaySpanish cherished to colonize some of America, just like the Europeans. Building religious based bursters all passim California was a way for them to maintain ultimate social, political, and stinting control. Spanish explorers arrived on the border of California during the 16th century. The very first Franciscan mission was built in San Diego during 1769. By 1833, twenty two Spanish directions existed from Southern California to Northern California. native Americans make up about one-third of those who lived and worked at the Missions. There were an estimated 310,000 Indians spiritedness in California during the 16th century. The Spanish provided the Native Americans with the necessities such(prenominal) as food, clothing, and shelter. Although the California Missions had the right intentions of providing for the Native Americans, the Spanish acted in an inhumane and unfair way. Junipero Serra arrived in San Diego in 1768 and lead a theme of Franciscans to find property and more importantly, workers. He welcomed the Native Americans with open arms and open doors.In a primary document written by Junipero Serra himself, he admitted that he used the Native Americans unaccompanied for work. However, he said that providing them with food and shelter compensates for their hard work. So if families other than Indian come from at that place, it will serve up the same purpose very wellthat is, if we can provide for them(Serra). Serras defenders state that he respected the Natives culture. However, his criticizers argue that he used force to inhale the Native Americans to live at the Missions against their will.Although the Natives did not agree with Serras beliefs and actions, they were very respectful for the most part. For those who did not respect Serra received physical punishment with whips, chains, and stocks to follow up religious obedience (Serra). Junipero Serra was a great leader who made sure the California Missions were in order. The California Mission had worthy intentions and plans for the Native Americans. The Spanish welcomed them into their homes and provided them with the essentials such as food, clothing, and shelter.However, living at the Missions had its consequences. The Native Americans were forced to change their entire lifestyles from their beliefs, their daily routines, to the way they dressed and what they ate. Although anthropologists conducted that some Native Americans enjoyed their unfermented lives, more than cardinal percent refused to convert their ways of life (Sandos, 13). For thousands of years, the Natives were accustomed with their own lifestyle and beliefs, and all of a sudden, everything was stripped away from them. Even their personal identity was taken away from them.The Franciscans provided each individual with Spanish names which were to be used or else of their native birth names. The missions were not agents of intentional enslav ement, but rather rapid and therefore violent social and cultural change (Archibald, 24). The Native Americans ended up becoming tax pay citizens along with being under Spanish wing twenty- quadruplet hours a day, seven days a week. The Franciscans had very divers(prenominal) beliefs and traditions from the Native Americans. The Native Americans were forced to convert their religion to Roman Catholics.The Native Americans were more of a spiritual group rather than a religious group. Instead of believing in personified figures, such as Jesus, they believed spirits lie in spite of appearance their nature. Native Americans feed their energy off of nature. They believed that they are protected by the Mother Nature that surrounded them. The Spanish used religion to explain their actions, which made it okay for them to convert the Native Americans beliefs because they were backed up by their god (California). Every person living and working at the Mission had to be officially baptized as a rite of passage.On Sundays and holidays everyone was obligated to go to church and worship. The Natives were forced to memorize Catholic rituals, songs, and scriptures. Prayer lasted four hours on Sundays and feast days. On a regular basis on typical days, prayer lasted two hours. Catholicism was a huge part of living at the Missions. The Missions were surrounded by Spanish soldiers so everyone was watched very closely. Once the Native Americans accepted the Spanish lifestyle, it was nearly impossible to escape. It was as if they were held against their own will. A few sources compare the treatment of Native Americans to slavery (Archibald, 48).Slavery is defined as an economic exploitation that benefits only the slave-owner. In the California Missions, the Native Americans worked solely to provide and maintain a certain lifestyle for the Spanish. Besides minimal food and shelter, the Native Americas natural human rights were stripped from them. Native America women made clothi ng, prepared meals, cleaned the rooms, and whatever domestic chores needed to be done at the Mission. Native American mothers even had to care for Spanish children instead of focusing on their own (Mission). The Native American men had to hunt for food and build new Missions.In addition, they learned carpentry, leatherworkers, smiths, and farm work. The Franciscans controlled their days into a rigorous schedule announced by church bells (Archibald, 104). If the workers were not done with their tasks by the chimes of the church bells, they would suffer major consequences. The Franciscans did not view their actions as immurement because they believed that the providence of food and shelter compensates for Natives hard work. In reality, the Missions were not a place to live a life of ease nor was it a place to modernise personal fortune and prosperity.The Native Americans were not worked to death like the slaves in southern United States at this period. However, the strict regulatio n, cruel and unusual punishments and forced new traditions are extremely inhumane acts. According to Julio Cesar, When I was a boy the treatment given to the Indians at the Mission was not good at all. We were at the mercy of the administrator, who ordered us to be flogged whenever and however he took notion (Mission). Every Mission had two priests. One priests duties were to preach and determine about religion.The other priests duties were strictly on the work field. He instructed and gave the Native Americans and other workers their duties. The lifestyle in the California Missions was set in a very rigorous schedule so it was nearly impossible for the Native Americans to take a break or escape the hardship. The Natives resisted colonization after(prenominal) just a short time living and working at the Missions. There were a few deadly rebellions conducted by the Native Americans. They destroyed Mission property and even threatened to kill priests. The most infamous attack occurr ed in San Diego.On November 4, 1775, hundreds of men completely destroyed the Cuiamac Rancheria Mission of San Diego. The men besides killed three Hispanics, including the Father, Padre Jaime (Sandos, 92). In addition, in 1824, another great Indian rebellion in California occurred at the Missions of Barbara. A large part of the Mission building was wrecked by a large fire. On the same day, hundreds of Native Americans attacked the Spanish defenders and soldiers. Leaders of the rebellion were severely punished. Seven were executed and the others were imprison or required to do even crueler labor.The Natives revolted because of their poor treatment and forced labor enforced by the soldiers and Fathers (Sandos, 73). These rebellions were among the many others throughout the 16th century in the California missions. This proves that the Native Americans were furious about getting different beliefs and work forced onto them. The Spanish settlers caused a lot of health problems to flouri sh all throughout California. Soon after the arrival of Spanish colonists, diseases spread from Southern California to Northern California so Native American fatalities heightened.Highly infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles, and syphilis killed thousands of Native Americans, especially children, so the Indian population dropped drastically (Sandos, 64). About sixty percent of the Mission Native Americans death was collectible to introduced diseases. In just a few decades, the Native American population in California decreased from 310,000 to about 100,000. Since the California Missions held many residences, people lived in such confined spaces which caused contagious diseases to spread rapidly.In order to keep the population at a steady rate for enough workers, Mission leaders separated Native American children from their parents to maintain the childrens health to save them to work at the Missions as they got older (California). The Natives were furious that their familie s were being separate. Mothers were not there to care for their children, so the Native children were on their own. There was a lack of physicians to care for the ill so not everyone could be helped. Diseases were not the only basis why the Native population dropped drastically.They went through rigorous changes in diet so their bodies were not used to the food they were eating. In addition, malnutrition caused toxins in their bodies. In addition, the violent demanding manual labor is a factor that contributed to their inability to overcome the sickness. Death rates were higher than birth rates so the Mission had to keep recruiting different tribes all throughout California (Mission). By 1834, there were only about 15,000 Native American residents in the twenty two Missions. The Spanish were only in contact with the Native Americans for personal gain.The Franciscans maintained total economic, social, and political control all throughout California. Very few Native Americans chose to stay at the Missions voluntarily. During their time at the Missions, they had to conduct harsh labor and all of their rights were taken away from them. Although they provided the Native Americans with food, shelter, and clothing, the Franciscans treated them like slaves. The Spanishs involvement backfired since a mass of Native Americans died due to illness, making them nearly extinct. The physical and metal demands required were a major strain on the Native Americans.