Padres and Indians

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 have been of little use in the undeveloped territory of California at this time, the soldiers and the missionary fathers and brothers, were paid instead with goods and services, usually from the Mexican port at San Blas. These individuals and institutions had the money deposited in bank accounts in Mexico, and it was from these accounts that the price of goods were debited from.

The missions also were indispensible as suppliers of food, supplies, and labor (via the neophytes) for the presidios in the area. An example of this may be seen in an 1814 letter by Duran to the commissary prefect of the California missions, Father Francisco Sarría:

This mission of San Jose has helped the troops of the guard with grain and lard, blankets, sackcloth, and thread. Item: the forge works for the greater part of the year to make and to repair bits and spurs, etc., for any soldier who asked for them. The mission has made no special contribution to the presidio because, up until now, it has not had to. An...

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...atives who occupied the missions with little interference from the military. The missionary enterprise in California in addition to being an instrument of evangelization for the Catholic Church, it was also a tool for Spanish kings as well. It is important to note that one of the primary reasons that the Spanish wished to go into California was to increase Spanish influence along the West Coast, as well as to keep in check the gradual encroachments of both Russian and English (and later, Americans) into their territory. While converting natives to Christianity for the friars, they also knew that in addition to serving God, they also served the State.

While the padres of the missions in California did try and protect the natives Indians in their care, they also brought many biases with them. One of these biases was in their assessment of the California Indians.