Mission System

The year was 1769. A group of adventurous men from New Spain  came to this wild beautiful country .They were following the orders of their king, King Charles III of Spain.

Priests wanted to establish Catholic churches and schools. They wanted to convert the Native Americans to Roman Catholicism. Priests also wanted to help the Native Americans by making them be educated in European ways, and opened private schools. Twenty-one missions were sprung up along the El Camino Real.

There were also Soldier’s motives to establish missions in order to control and conquer. Soldiers also were there to protect the Missions and Spanish settlers. Many soldiers hoped to gain wealth.

Establishing missions did affect the people who were already living in California. Native Americans were often required to change their beliefs to Catholicism.They had to be told when to eat, sleep, wake up and pray. They were not free to come and go.