California Missions

Junipero Serra

Franciscan priest Father Junipero Serra founded the first mission in 1769. This was known as Mission San Diego de Alcalá and was located in present-day San Diego.

Multiple Choice

Which of these statements is true?

• Father Junipero Serra founded the first mission in San Francisco.

• Christopher Columbus founded the first mission.

• Father Santiago de La Cruz founded the first mission in California.

• Father Junipero Serra founded the first mission in modern day San Diego.

Why were the missions built?

In 1769, the Spanish government created a settlement in California before England or Russia could settle it. They called it New Spain. They sent Father Junipero Serra and Juan Crespi to Alta to build the first Mission. The Spanish government wanted to gain control over the Native Americans and make them loyal to them.

Father Serra wanted to convert them to Christianity.

Multiple Select

Why were the missions built?

• because the Spanish government wanted to gain control over the Native Americans and make them loyal to them.

• To convert Natives to Christianity.

• to teach Natives Spanish and new customs

• to teach Natives the english and how to construct churches

what is Christianity

• Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the world

• The Christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

• Christians are monotheistic (they believe there’s only one God, and he created the heavens and the earth). This divine Godhead consists of three parts: the father (God himself), the son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

How did Native Americans end up in the missions?

Father Serra offered the Native Americans gifts so they would come to the missions. At first, they were very interested in the Spanish ways of life: They liked their tools and their farming methods. They learned how to grow plants and raise farm animals. But soon the Native Americans were doing hard labor at the missions. They were expected to live at the mission, go to religion classes, and learn the Spanish language. Father Serra baptized over 54,000 of them.

Missions

There were 21 missions built from San Diego to Sonoma between 1769 and 1823. As the mission system grew, many Native Americans were forced to move there. The Spanish had taken their land, and they had no food. They could eat and be safe at the Missions. Some Native Americans who left the Missions became fugitives. Sometimes, Native Americans were sent after them to persuade them to come back. Other times, a priest would talk to them. In other instances, a soldier would find them and force them to return. The death rate of Native Americans was extremely high during the mission period. Many Native Americans were getting diseases that were brought over by the Spanish, and there was no medicine to cure them. Also, the work at the missions was grueling, and the living conditions were unsanitary

Open Ended

Why do you think that many of the Mission locations turned into large cities?

Location

Missions were built close to the Pacific Ocean so that there would be plenty of water and resources for building. The soil was also rich for growing crops. These sites later became larger cities like San Diego and San Francisco. 

Open Ended

What do you notice about the location of each Mission?

Multiple Choice

How many missions were built in California?

• 17

• 21

• 23

• 201