The History of California, Essay Example

The years 1769-1821 were a pivotal era in the history of California. The Spanish colonization created a profound and lasting impression on the cultural evolution of the state as well as an everlasting impact on the current state of the people, cultural identity, policies and political role California plays in the United States as a whole. Due to the Spaniards fear of British or Prussian colonization of the western expansion, the Spanish decided to push forward and collect the settlement of California. The scared motivation became the “sacred expedition” to begin a series of settlements through the mission system.  The forces were prepared to assimilate into two main forces one represented a land advance and the other a seaward representation.  The advance in 1769 had two main objectives, one to get to San Miguel and two, get to Monterey.  San Francisco was settled in 1769 on the move to San Diego.  While this was almost avoided it was accomplished in 1770.  With the objective of Monterey in sight, the objective was completed in 1770 and settlement took place.  This set of series of events and movements allowed for the legacy to begin.

Within that legacy many parts are still present in today’s society.  The mission lifestyle took hold and provided many of the lasting impressions that are apparent in the current societal expressions.  Overall these include converted Native Americans, the introduction of the Spanish language, farming techniques and procedures and the types of labor that was needed and required for the Spanish lifestyle.  The converted Native Americans had their entire history altered by introducing the new type of lifestyle of language, cultural expression, genetics and societal needs such as mission rules and regulations.  Through the sacred expedition, the Spaniards did not necessarily have enough people to form settlements so they instead Christianized the current inhabitants and focused on the mission lifestyle.  By a Royal decree, the Spaniards were committed to convert the newly acquired mission in habitants to Catholicism (Heizer, 3).  This type of activity is romanticized in history but also led to large populations of Spanish speaking Catholics in California.  While the language and religion were culturally impactful and have lasting effects there is another source of change that is omnipresent in California today.  The amount of Spanish change in the demographics is significant in that with the mission system, Spanish influence and presence allowed for a firm foothold from a very early time in with the growth in emigrated population as well as systematic internal growth of mission population provides the foundation of the current demographic significance.

With the demographic, language and religious aspects sustaining into the current California times, the agricultural and labor efforts are also significant.  The Spanish introduced horses, cows, sheep, tomatoes, chilies and Kentucky bluegrass (Wright, 5).  These aspects of agriculture influenced the food of the region as well as how it was obtained, all of which are present in California to this day.  Labor was needed to build missions and the newly acquired skills turned the Native American’s way of life away from hunter/gatherer to establishing missions with farms, vineyards and livestock development. With these changes, the way of life for the Spaniards and natives intermingled and allowed for families and communities to grow and move upwards in society by developing these newly acquired tools.  The Spanish mission to settle California has provided a foundation in religion, language, agriculture, labor, politics and community that is present in California today.

Works Cited

Heizer, Robert. Impact of Colonization on the native California Societies. San Diego Historical Society Quarterly. 1978. Print.

Wright, R. California’s Missions. Hubert A. and Martha H. Lowman, Arroyo Grande, California. 1950. Print.