Franciscans arrived in California in 1541. At the time, the region was under Spain’s control. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Franciscans built twenty-one missions along California’s coast. They were established to spread Christianity among the local population. The missions were important for the religious influence they had on the region. They also took on political importance; they gave Spain a toehold in the region.
The Spanish missions had a profound impact (positive & negative) on the Native Californians.
Explanation:
The California missions were set up in the 18th century with the same goal they already had achieved in Mexico: to convert Native Americans to Catholicism and expand European (Spanish) territory.
On the positive side there is the Spanish influence in culture, art, language and architecture, as we can see for example in the beautiful trainstation in San Diego.
On the negative side there is the Native American Culture (in the broadest sense) that was destroyedand being replaced by the Iberian culture that, according to some critics, brought along with it slavery, prostitution and diseases.
