Indians, Franciscans and Spanish Colonization

This ethnohistory examines Indian life in the twenty-one missions Franciscans established in Alta California. In describing how the missions functioned between 1769 and 1848, the authors draw on previously unused sources to analyse change and continuity in Indian material culture and religious practices. The twin goals of Franciscans were to mould Indians into a work force that would produce surplus grain for military garrisons and to regulate their moral conduct and religious practices.