California MissionsCalifornia Missions

By Marilyn KowsariBy Marilyn Kowsari

October 12, 2007October 12, 2007

What was a What was a mission?mission?•A religious

settlement

Location Location of the of the

MissionsMissions

Founder of the Founder of the MissionsMissions

• Father Serra• Born in 1713 in Petra, Isla del Mellora Spain• Founded 9 of the 21 missions• Died in 1784 and buried at San Carlos

Borromeo Mission

Purpose of the BellsPurpose of the Bells

• Call people to meals

• Call people to work

• Call people to prayer

• Tell some important news

Characteristics of Characteristics of the missionsthe missions

•Things in common–They all had bells–Cemeteries–Located near Indian villages

Mission LifeMission Life• Who lived at the mission?

– Padres

– Indians

Padres JobsPadres Jobs• Conducted

Sunday Services• Managed mission

• Responsible for visitors

Indian Women’s Indian Women’s JobsJobs

• Cooked• Cleaned• Tanned hides• Gardened• Made candles and soap

Indian Men’s JobsIndian Men’s Jobs

• Took care of the animals • Blacksmith• Made tools for use on the farm• Made necessary buildings

Indian Children Indian Children JobsJobs

• Watched and fed the livestock• Helped plant the crops• Kept animals out of the crops• Helped clean mission grounds

Treatment of theTreatment of the IndiansIndians

•Had to give up their way of life

•Had to become Catholic•Could not speak their

language•Were beaten if they tried to

leave/escape

Closing of the MissionsClosing of the Missions

• Mexico won war with Spain• Did not like to be reminded of Spanish rule• Wanted the Indians to become part of the

Mexican society

Law of 1833Law of 1833

• Divided Mission lands up over fifteen year period

• Mission became a pueblo• Half of land was to be given to the

Indians– tricked out of their land– many sold their land– many went to work for new land

owners

• Founded first by Fr. Lasuen Oct. 1775

• Founded second time by Fr. Serra 1776

• Falling apart in 1866• Destroyed by an earthquake in 1812

• 1910 Father O”Sullivan took it over

Mission San Juan Mission San Juan CapistranoCapistrano

Swallows of San Juan Swallows of San Juan CapistranoCapistrano

• March 19th swallows return

• Huge crowds welcome their return

• Nests in old mission church

• Return to South America in October

Mission San Juan TodayMission San Juan Today

• Small town named for the mission• Curio Shops and restaurants• Mission Grounds• Still undergoing restoration• 10 acres of outdoor museum

Comprehension QuestionsComprehension Questions

• Why was Father Serra important?• Who lived at the missions?• How were the Native Americans who lived at the missions treated?• Name one reason why the Mexican governement wanted to close

the missions.• What happened to the Native Americans after the missions closed?• What were some of the jobs of the children at the mission?• What was the first mission?• Why did all the missions have bells?

FUN FACTSFUN FACTS

• Father Serra’s finger is buried at the Santa Barbara Mission

• The ghosts of a caretaker and his family are said to haunt Mission San Miguel

• It took 54 years to build all of the missions• The bells at San Juan Capistrano are said to have rung

by themselves when a very devout Indian girl name Matilda died while putting flowers on the altar.

• Serra Chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano is said to be the oldest building in California.

• San Antonio de Padua is located on a military base.