Mission San Diego de Alcala

Mission San Diego de Alcala

Engelhardt, Zephyrin, 1851-1934

In 1769, Spanish Franciscan priest, Junipero Serra, was sent by the Spanish to establish a mission in California to extend Spanish hold into "Alta California." The first of 21 coastal missions, Mission San Diego de Alcala was created to establish a presence in the Pacific Coast as a result of the growing rule of British and Russians in the area.

Within 5 weeks of the Franciscans' arrival in 1769, the Kumeyaay tribe in San Diex, burning it to the ground, and killed the local father as well. This was done as a result of many things, one being the mistreatment of the native woman, who were used as property of the Spanish militia.

From the Spanish perspective, these missions were political, religious, and cultural successes. They served to colonize the area and baptize Native Americans. Despite this view of the California missions, they had other uses, The Franciscans were accompanied by armed Spanish soldiers which were used to intimidate the locals. Additionally, the onslaught of European diseases affected many natives who then sought help from the settlers. These missions were enlisted with the task of "converting" the Native Californians in a 10-year period. The main directive was to "educate" the natives" so they could become "working-class citizens of the Spanish Empire." The coastal land was stolen and the people were forced to work for the Spanish. Still, the "converts" practiced their old rituals in secret and worshipped their old deities. Many tribes revolted together against the priests and missions as at the Mission San Diego de Alcala.

The ARDA (Association of Religion Data Archives)