Question

Which description best depicts the experience of Native Americans working on California missions.

Answer 1

Native Americans working on California missions B. Were overworked and mistreated.

The Spanish missions in California included 21 religious missions established between 1769 and 1833 in what is now the California State. It was founded by Catholic priests who belonged to the Franciscan order, whose mission was to evangelize the Native Americans.

There was a relocation of local tribes, who were conscripted into forced labor on the mission, and eventually suffered from disease, starvation, over work, and torture. Native Americans were forbidden from practicing their native culture, which produced an disruption of their linguistic, spiritual, and cultural practices. In this way, their lifestyle and culture was drastically changed.

Finally, they were not immune to the diseases brought by europeans, and  they suffered high mortality and dramatic decreases. This was mostly seen in the coastal regions, where 90 percent of the population perished between 1769 and 1848.

Answer 2

The correct answer is B. They were overworked and mistreated.

Analysis:  The way the Native Americans were treated, was different from the foundation of the 1st mission in 1769. At that time, the presence of Fray Junípero Serra made the difference in the treatment of the indigenous people who made up the missions. Every effort was made to be economically self-sufficient. In this sense the Franciscans instructed the Indians in agriculture and livestock, teaching them, also, the main trades. For their part, the women learned to cook, knit and sew. The day in the mission, divided by the ringing of the bells, began after dawn with the mass, then breakfast and everyone went to work, men in the fields and women with domestic chores. At noon, after the Angelus prayer, he ate and after a break he returned to work. At mid-afternoon the time for prayer and religious instruction began, after which it was eaten.

From the death of Fray Junípero, in 1784, the circumstances were progressively changing and the importance of the 21 Spanish missions in California started to extinguish. It is clear that the decrease in the population of Native Americans was not only a consequence of the diseases brought by the Spaniards but also due to the demanding days of work and the rigorous and often abusive treatment.

These were the 21 missions that were built in California and the year of construction:

1. Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769.
2. Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo in 1770.
3. Mission San Antonio de Padua in 1771.
4. Mission San Gabriel in 1771.
5. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772.
6. Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores) in 1776.
7. Mission San Juan Capistrano also in 1776.
8. Mission Santa Clara de Asís, one year after, in 1777.
9. Mission San Buenaventura in 1782.
10. Mission Santa Barbara in 1786.
11. Mission La Purísima Concepción, a year later, in 1787.
12. Mission Santa Cruz in 1791.
13. Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad the same year, 1791.
14. Mission San José in 1797.
15. Mission San Juan Bautista also in 1797.
16. The third in 1797, Mission San Miguel Arcángel.
17. Mission San Fernando Rey de España, the last one in 1797.
18. In 1798, Mission San Luis Rey de Francia.
19. Mission Santa Inés in 1804.
20. Mission San Rafael Arcángel, in 1817.
21. Mission San Francisco Solano, the last one, in 1823.