California Mission System

The California Mission System refers to a series of 21 religious outposts established by Spanish missionaries between 1769 and 1823 along the California coast. Its primary goal was to spread Christianity among Native Americans and to establish Spanish control over the region. Each mission served as a community center, providing education, agriculture, and crafts, while also facilitating the conversion of indigenous people. The missions significantly impacted California's culture, economy, and demographics, laying the groundwork for the state's future development. Today, many of these missions are historical sites and are important to California's heritage.