Essay on Padres and Indians - 1232 Words

One of the things which largely go unrecognized is how vital the missions were to the military in California in the 19th century. Since the military in California received little to no support during the Mexican revolution against Spain, and suffered more after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. In particular, Mission San Jose was expected to furnish food to the military presidios as a way of preventing famines. In fact this had been established in the 1770’s with the Reglamento, It is also important to note that in Spanish California at this time, the dominant economic system was based on that of bartering. Pesos were far more an abstract economic factor for both the missionaries as well as the soldiers. Since pesos would†¦show more content†¦But for the present the mission offers 200 pesos, the only ones it has and 300 fanegas of wheat for trade with the Russian ship if it enters, etc., all for the sole purpose of helping the troops. This letter from Duran was in response to an earlier circular (a letter which was sent to all missions) from Fr. Sarrà ­a in which he stated: You know the state of the nation and the misery an suffering of the monarchy on account of the war. I know it is not good to dispossess the neophytes but it is essential for the missions to contribute goods and other necessities for the maintenance of the troops and their families as we did last yeafr and which we must do again. It is our patriotic duty. Duran’s response to Sarrà ­a is interesting on two levels. The first level is his mention of trade with the Russian ships. One of the primary roles for colonizing Alta California (and utilizing the evangelizing fervor of the Franciscan missionaries for this was to create a bulwark against foreign incursions, primarily of the Russians, though later the English and the Americans would enter into the mix. This was accomplished easily enough during the early days of the missions’ existence when they were struggling just to survive. In the beginning, the missions had nothing which the commercial interest (which was the driving force of an empire) would be interested in, since at that time the missions were barely producing enough to support themselves, let alone produce surplus for sale. ThisShow MoreRelated`` Bad Indians `` By Deborah Miranda1408 Words   |  6 PagesIn Deborah Miranda’s memoir â€Å"Bad Indians†, she uses documents, images, and drawings to expose colonial violence and provides evidence of a history of conquest. There are different types of colonial violence that are depicted throughout her memoir, such as: physical, emotional, sexual, and cultural violence. Additionally, Miranda exposes the nature of colonial violence by providing evidence by implementing particular sources to contribute in confirming the history of conquest throughout the livesRead MoreEssay about California Missions – Monuments or Tombstones?1425 Words   |  6 Pagesmy feet. I didnt know whether to scream or cry. Dont you people know what you are walking on? Dont you know there are no grave markers because people were dying too fast for individual graves? I could almost feel the souls of the Chumash and the padres crying out. Dont these people know what this place is? The sad truth is, they dont know. And how could they? Californian kids usually study the missions in the third or fifth grade. The curriculum is almost always the same. First, you learn thereRead More Douglas Monroys Thrown Among Strangers: The Making of Mexican Culture in Frontier California1460 Words   |  6 PagesDouglas Monroys Thrown Among Strangers: The Making of Mexican Culture in Frontier California When Spaniards colonized California, they invaded the native Indians with foreign worldviews, weapons, and diseases. The distinct regional culture that resulted from this union in turn found itself invaded by Anglo-Americans with their peculiar social, legal, and economic ideals. Claiming that differences among these cultures could not be reconciled, Douglas Monroy traces the historical interactionRead MorePadre Antonio Vieiras Sermons about quot;slaveriesquot;1182 Words   |  5 PagesPadre Antonio Vieira became a missionary priest and returned to Brazil in 1652, with very complex messages about slavery. His teachings could be interpreted as being against the Christian religion, but they raised a lot of questions about the slavery of the New World and whether or not the Gods name was being used in vain. During his two sermons in Bahia and Sao Luis do Maranhao, he used his own beliefs of universal church to convert non-Christians to the faith. He uses the Bible, as his referenceRe ad MoreThe Effect of Spanish Colonization on California Indians1889 Words   |  8 Pagescontrol had on the indigenous Indian population in California between 1769 and 1848. As well as discussing the historical origins, social organizations, material conditions, and world-view of the California Indians prior to 1769, this paper will explain the impact of New Spain’s Mission System on the Alta California Indian population between 1769 to 1821 and the response of its system by the Indians. Before the Americans and the Spanish there were many indigenous Indian tribes living and thriving withRead MoreThe History of Mexico Essay828 Words   |  4 PagesThe History of Mexico Before the Spanish Mexico was occupied by a large number of Indian groups with very different social and economic systems. In general the tribes in the north were relatively small groups of hunters and gatherers who roamed large areas of sparsely vegetated deserts and dry lands. These people are often called the Chichimecs, though they were aRead MoreMission Santa Ines1814 Words   |  8 Pagesand was built to share the European God with the Indians and how to eat and dress like Europeans. Father Tapis wanted to make the Indians Christians and civilize them as well as keep and claim land for Spain. The missions were built near harbors, bays or rivers so the towns could grow the needed crops to survive, and to bring more Europeans, and show the Indians more European ways. The Indians built the missions under the supervision of the padres along El Camino Real, the Royal Road, where thereRead More Alta California was the Last Expansion of Spain’s Empire in North America.1427 Words   |  6 Pagesestablished by the padre. The Spanish constructed the missions to gain control and power over the land in California. San Francisco Solano Mission was the last mission established in Sonoma, the Valley of the Moon, resulted an important historical ev ent in California and the existence of the California flag. The Spanish arrival to California created a major impact to the lives of the native Indians, and there were many significant events occurred among the Spaniards, the native Indians, and the AmericansRead More Father LaTour as the Hero in Death Comes for the Archbishop Essay1354 Words   |  6 Pagesnot tell a great deal about Father LaTours service as an active entity, his action is revealed through the reaction of the different people to him. He has earned the respect of his servants, the well-to-do in his community, the poor Mexicans and Indians in his community, and his peers. Father LaTour is defined by how he reacts to others and how they react to him. He earns their respect and that is a response that is not given lightly. The Bishop kept his word . . . (Cather 132). In these few wordsRead MoreWhat Does Mestizaje Play? Latin America And The United States? Essay1704 Words   |  7 Pageswhen Indians were being conver ted to Christians in return for protection, â€Å"number of native families that sought his [Padre Mendoza] protection in exchange for being baptized--- (Allende pg.6).† This conversion led Indians to have a new religion and identity. The Spanish identified the baptized Indians as neophytes; through the eyes of a Spaniard a neophyte was better than an unbaptized Indian. Religion was not the only principal that differentiated the Indians, it was also education. Padre Mendoza