Native Americans in California Missions Essay Example for Free

congenital Americans in atomic number 20 agencys EssaySpanish wanted to colonize some of America, salutary like the Europeans. Building religious based bursters all throughout calcium was a way for them to oppose ultimate accessible, political, and economic control. Spanish explorers arrived on the border of California during the 16th century. The truly first Franciscan mission was built in San Diego during 1769. By 1833, twenty two Spanish Missions existed from Southern California to Federal California. innate Americans made up about one-third of those who lived and work oned at the Missions. thither were an estimated 310,000 Indians living in California during the 16th century. The Spanish provided the immanent Americans with the necessities such as solid victuals, clothing, and shelter. Although the California Missions had the right intentions of providing for the homegrown Americans, the Spanish acted in an inhumane and unfair way. Junipero Serra arrived in San Diego in 1768 and lead a group of Franciscans to find property and more than importantly, workers. He welcomed the autochthonous Americans with open arms and open doors.In a primary document written by Junipero Serra himself, he admitted that he apply the internal Americans solely 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 there, it will serve the same purpose very wellthat is, if we can provide for them(Serra). Serras defenders state that he respected the inherings culture. However, his criticizers argue that he used force to urge the inherent Americans to live at the Missions against their will.Although the inwroughts did not agree with Serras beliefs and actions, they were very reverential for the most part. For those who did not respect Serra received physical punishment with whips, chains, and stocks to enforce religious obedience (Serra). Junipero Serra was a great l eader 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 quotidian routines, to the way they dressed and what they ate. Although anthropologists conducted that some Native Americans enjoyed their new lives, more than eighty percent refused to convert their slipway 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 ainised identity was taken away from them.The Franciscans provided each individual with Spanish names which were to be used rather of their native birth names. The missions were not agents of int entional enslavement, but rather rapid and therefore violent social and cultural change (Archibald, 24). The Native Americans ended up becoming tax pay citizens along with creation under Spanish wing twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Franciscans had very distinguishable 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 religious group rather than a religious group. Instead of believing in personified figures, such as Jesus, they believed spirit up lie within their nature. Native Americans feed their energy off of nature. They believed that they are protected by the fetch 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 operative at the Mission had to be officially baptized as a rite of passage.On Sundays and holidays everyone was oblige 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 commodious 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 break out. It was as if they were held against their own will. A few sources compare the discussion 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 ma de clothing, watchful meals, cleaned the rooms, and whatever domestic chores needed to be done at the Mission. Native American mothers even had to anxiety 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 besotted 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 diorama their actions as imprisonment because they believed that the providence of food and shelter compensates for Natives hard work. In reality, the Missions were not a behind to live a life of ease nor was it a place to acquire personal fortune and prosperity.The Native Americans were not worked to death like the slaves in southern United States at this time. However, the strict regulation, cruel and singular punishments and forced new traditions are extremely inhumane acts. According to Julio Cesar, When I was a boy the discourse 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 teach 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 just a short time living and working at the Missions. There were a few deadly ascents conducted by the Native Americans. They destroyed Mission property and even peril to kill priests. The most infamous attack occurred in San Diego.On November 4, 1775, hundreds of men completely destroyed the Cuiamac Rancheria Mission of San Diego. The men also 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 imprisoned or required to do even crueler perseverance.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 brutal about getting different beliefs and work forced onto them. The Spanish settlers caused a lot of health problems to spre ad out 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 due 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 patrimonial diseases to spread rapidly.In order to keep the population at a steady rate for seemly 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 families 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 reason 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 intense 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 halt 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 majority of Native Americans died due to illness, devising them nearly extinct. The physical and metal demands required were a major strain on the Native Americans.