Destruction of Native California (1) Essay

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The first tactic the groups used was to intimidate the local inhabitants with a show of military force and then introduce domesticated animals that often used up a disproportionate amount of the local food resources for their needs.

Since the Californian Indians lived in highly fragmented tribes it was difficult for the missionaries to bring the religion to them; rather they attracted to Indians to the "faith." The Californian Indians were hurdled into guarded Mission compounds which completely disrupted any of the local tribe's daily activities (McWilliams, 1973, p. 29). Once the natives were converted they basically became slaves and as such were separated from their former affiliations by force. After being baptized, California Indians were no longer allowed to make contact with any of their tribes unless those members became slaves as well. This was strictly adhered to as the missionaries wanted the natives to adopt the new culture and completely separate themselves with their form hedonistic lives. Even if they were allowed to revisit their tribes, the Spanish would follow them and capture more tribal members to serve as the next round of Christian converts. It is through these methods that the Spanish quickly decimated the Californian Indian's culture.

The most significant factor that contributed to the decline of the native populations was epidemic diseases that quickly spread. From 1769 to 1833, there were 29,100 Indian births recorded in the Missions of California while there were more than sixty thousand deaths, most due to diseases, recorded in the same period (McWilliams, 1973, p. 29). It was further estimated that roughly forty five percent of the entire population died from the spread of the measles as well as having severe negative effects on the infant mortality rate. It was estimated that only a quarter of the natives' newborns would reach the age of twenty five; most succumbing to disease in the first couple years.

The disease alone would have not have had such a devastating effect on the California Indians were it not form complicating circumstances.

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Since most of the Indians lived in fragmented tribes before the Spanish invasion, the disease would have not spread at the same rate as they would with the Mission Indians being confined to close quarters together. Furthermore, they were subject to treacherous labor conditions that were similar to military disciplines as well as being fed diets that they were unaccustomed to (Wilson, 1999, p. 223). The proximity in which the Californian Indians were kept as well as their harsh conditions undoubtedly contributed to the rapid advancements of the diseases.

Other causes of Californian Indian deaths were more direct. The presence of the Spaniards caused a great deal of violent unrest in which many died in these conflicts. Although Wilson (1999, 226) stated that the conflicts between the settlers and the natives in New England were far more destructive in nature, the California Indians were still subject to a significant amount of violence. Although most of the Californian Indian's military strategy was based on defense, from the late 1820s onward many of the Indians actually went on the offensive which proved to be highly effective.

However, despite modest successes, by this time the Californian Indians had been decimated by over eighty years of Hispanic rule that had destroyed their vitality in regard to culture and the perseverance of tribes. In 1838 an estimated 70,000 Indians had died of Malaria and the total population had fallen from 700,000 to less than 200,000 (Wilson, 1999, p. 224). The remaining population had lost their cultures, their populations from the effects of diseases, as well as many Indians through direct violence. Furthermore, this was only the start of a new beginning; one in which Mexico lost the Californian territory to the United States and a new wave of colonizers were introduced with the discovery of gold making them flock by the thousands which further led to the decline of the Californian Indian.

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