The California Mission System

The missions established food-production centers near the best ports. In 1786 the first capital ventures, the export of sea otter pelts, began under private license from the Spanish crown. Quite rapidly the area developed, under the mission system, the initial stages of participation in the world economy; that is, "some production process integral to larger commodity chains and responsive to market factors." Exports of agricultural and animal products grew during the period 1800-1810. After Mexican independence the markets for animal fats and hides expanded and production grew when Spanish controls over shipping were removed. At the time of secularization, the production of animal products for export was a flourishing industry -- in a stagnant culture.

The missions had been intended for the creation of agricultural centers that would serve as the basis for colonial communities. The Native Americans were to be co

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olonization plans. The great difference between the British colonization of the East coast of North America and the Spanish approach to colonization is found in this mission plan. The English settlers were looking for a life away from the repression of English society and were usually interested in securing their religious freedom. They received little government support from Europe and largely did the work of beating back the wilderness on their own (with the later exception of the importation of slave labor from Africa). As for the Native Americans, some of the English believed they should be converted but most merely believed they should be "removed by treaty from the lands the whites desired or, if necessary, exterminated." The Spaniards believed that the Indians needed to be converted, but also saw them as having "bodies capable of performing useful labor." According to the general plan, the missions would be established by the priests, the natives would be converted, food supply for colonists would be assured by the mission establishments, the Indians would merge with the arriving colonists in new settlements and the missions would be secularized with their chapels remaining as the parish churches. But a basic conf
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Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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