the significance of spanish colonial missions in our

The Significance of Spanish ColonialMissions in our National Story

Mission San José's convento, friars' residence in San Antonio, Texas. Photo: U.S. National Parks Service.

The Middle Ages came to a close by the end of the 15th century. The modern world was

emerging, but the Middle Ages left its mark on the future of religion in Europe and later on

the Americas.

At the end of the 15th century, Spain began a journey of spreading Christianity throughout

the world. Christopher Columbus took his first voyage to the Americas in 1492. In 1501, he

told the Spanish king and queen that the first steps toward bringing Christianity across the

Atlantic had been taken.

Spain was poised to send missionaries to Christianize the New World. Along with Spanish

law, governance, language and culture, the Roman Catholic religion, too, would cross from

Europe to the Americas. It was clear that the king of Spain would engage in the spread of

By Joseph P. Sánchez courtesy of U.S. National Park Service, adapted by Newsela staff on

04.11.17

Word Count 927

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1

Christianity to the native peoples of the New World. Thus began the history of the missions

that across time would become a part of our national story and influence our shared

common history with Spain, Mexico and Latin America.

Spain wanted to extract valuable resources

Spanish missions served several objectives during the colonial period. The first was to

convert natives to Christianity. The second was to make the areas suitable for colonial

purposes. A third objective was to get the native peoples used to Spanish culture so they

could fully become part of the Spanish empire.

Spain also hoped to pacify areas that held extractable natural resources such as iron, tin,

copper, salt, silver, gold, hardwoods, tar and more. These could then be exploited by

investors.

In 1508, the pope gave the monarch of Spain absolute control over religious matters within

the empire. After, the king set up a system called the Patronato Real de las Indias, or Royal

Patronage of the Indies. The Spanish king approved missionaries to go to the Americas,

directed the geographic location of missions and allocated funds.

A plan to convert people to Christianity

By definition, the "mission" was nothing more than a plan of converting someone to

Christianity. Missionaries, usually working alone or with one or two armed soldiers would

approach a group of native peoples. With a portable altar for worshipping at, they would

say the mass and begin preaching through a translator. The construction of a church, a

garden, classrooms, housing, cafeterias, corrals and defensive walls came later.

Architecturally, the structures lent themselves to a variety of purposes. The mission

buildings served religious centers, vocational centers, and economic centers for trade and

the productions of crops. Lastly, the mission was a defensive center with heavy gates and

doors, and shuttered windows on high walls. The architectural splendor of the missions is

a part of the romantic past tied to song, poetry and history.

Missions were spread out across North America

In North America, early missionary efforts commenced in many current-day U.S. states.

There were missions in La Florida (after 1565), Nuevo México (after 1598), Texas (1690s),

Pimería Alta (present southern Arizona and northern Sonora, 1680s) and, lastly California

(1770s). Missions were also started in Mexico and even as far south as Chile and

Argentina.

Far from Spanish settlements, lone missionaries lived and worked at great peril among

mostly hostile natives. Missionaries generally avoided the Great Plains and mountain tribes

with strong warriors and instead focused their efforts on farming tribes, such as the


Pueblos of New Mexico. In most cases, the Spanish military was necessary for the mission

program to succeed. This was especially true in the modern-day American Southwest and

northern Mexico. Where possible, forts were constructed near settlements and missions.

Resistance affected the schedule

Theoretically, the missions were designed for a 10-year period, after which the

missionaries were expected to move on to new areas. However, the schedule did not work

well due to Native American resistance. Many friars argued that the natives were not

properly converted because they reverted to their spiritual ways in secret, and proposed

that missions be extended another decade. Often such extensions lasted for several

decades, if not a century, longer than intended.

Many Latin American countries had independence movements in the late 18th and early

19th centuries, in which they left the Spanish empire. Afterward, the new revolutionary

governments reclaimed lands from church authority. In most cases, emerging Western

Hemispheric nations granted citizenship to native groups or at least claimed control over

them, though they were often treated as social outcasts.

"No doubt a cultural fusion resulted"

Spanish colonial missions in North America are significant because the many that were

established had lasting effects on the cultural landscape. Their impact is a strong part of

our national story and it highlights the history the United States shares with Spain, Mexico

and Latin America.

Much has been written about the missions and their impact. No doubt a cultural fusion

resulted from European and native contact. Many tribes that participated in the evolving

mission process still practice Catholicism. There also was a spread of Spanish culture,

religion, governance and language. In some cases, Native American spiritual customs

melded with Christianity.

However, many people condemn Spain's role in altering native cultural practices, customs

and spiritual beliefs. Native American resentment toward the missions and overall colonial

policies often resulted in rebellions. These sometimes took years, if not decades, to

resolve.

The Spanish missions are windows to our national past. Visitors to them learn that history is

not as absolute as it appears in textbooks. Beyond the splendor of the architecture of the

missions, what we see today is the effect of a historic process that culturally changed the

land and people forever.


Quiz

1 Which of the following sentences from the article BEST develops a central idea?

(A) Along with Spanish law, governance, language and culture, the Roman

Catholic religion, too, would cross from Europe to the Americas.

(B) By definition, the "mission" was nothing more than a plan of converting

someone to Christianity.

(C) Far from Spanish settlements, lone missionaries lived and worked at great

peril among mostly hostile natives

(D) Spanish colonial missions in North America are significant because the

many that were established had lasting effects on the cultural landscape

2 The CENTRAL idea of the article is developed by:

(A) illustrating the native point of view on Spanish missionaries in the Americas

(B) providing a detailed history of the Middle Ages to give context to Spanish

actions in America

(C) describing why and how the Spanish operated their missions in the

Americas

(D) presenting the negative legacies left behind by Spanish missionaries

3 Which section of the article introduces a point of view that opposes the Spanish perspective

on their missionaries?

(A) "A plan to convert people to Christianity"

(B) "Missions were spread out across North America"

(C) "Resistance affected the schedule"

(D) "No doubt a cultural fusion resulted"

4 Which answer choice BEST explains the author's purpose in this article?

(A) He wants to call attention to the significance of Spanish missions to

American history.

(B) He wants to shed light on the atrocities committed by the Spanish against

the natives.

(C) He wants to share details about America's historical economic ties to

Europe.

(D) He wants to share a brief history of the spread of Christianity from Europe to

America.


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