INDIANS IN CALIFORNIA MISSIONS

IN THE MISSIONS THE INDIANS WERE TREATED POORLY WITH CHILDLIKE BEHAVIOR.  THEY HAD WHIPPING AND ALMOST AS SLAVES IN THE 1700'S.  THERE WERE 21 MISSIONS FROM SAN DIEGO TO SAN FRAN.  THEY WERE GIVEN FOOD AND SHELTER.  SOME SPANISH ROUNDED UP WHOLE VILLAGES TO BRING TO MISSIONS. THEY THEN WERE GIVEN MUCH TYPES OF DISEASES THEY WERE NOT USED TO MEASLES, SMALLPOX, DIPTHERIA, ETC.  SOME MISSIONS SAW 1/2 OF THEIR POPULATION DIE FROM DISEASE.  SOME INDIANS BEGAN DRINKING AND WERE THROWN IN JAIL.  BY 1834 THE MISSION SYSTEM BECAME A LOCAL CHURCH.  MANY FOLKS MOVED OUT TO THE CITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT.  OTHERS LIKED SOIL, MADE BRICKS, SHEARED SHEEP AND BUILT HOUSES, AND MADE HIDES FOR CATTLE. THE INDIANS IN THE INTERIOR CONTINUED THEIR WAY OF LIFE .  ON THE COAST THEY JOINED RELATED GROUPS FOR NEW COUNTIES.  IN 1760 THERE WERE  @ 310,00 INDIANS AND BY 1900 IT CUT TO 20,000!

BY 1850 THE U.S. GOVERNMENT PROPOSED RESERVATIONS. TO HELP THE INDIANS HAVE THEIR OWN LAND.  IT REALLY DIDN'T WORK.  THE WHITE RUN SCHOOL DESTROYED THEIR LANGUAGE AND LIFEWAYS.  MANY KIDS WENT TO BOARDING SCHOOLS AND MISSED THEIR FAMILIES.  IN THE 1800'S THEY HAD BEEN OUSTED FROM SOME LANDS.  INDIANS IN SAN DIEGO ATTACKED THE MISSION IN PROTEST IN 1775.

DURING THE GOLD RUSH THE RANCHERIA USED INDIANS TO MINE GOLD.  THEY THOUGHT FOLKS WERE A THREAT TO IN THEIR VIEW.  MOST RESERVATIONS WERE PLACED ON POOR LANDS AND THE WHITES DID NOT WANT THESE AREAS.   MOST OF THEM FAILED AS WELL AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO USE BETTER LANDS.  IN CALIFORNIA ABOUT 1/4TH OF INDIAN LAND WAS LOST.  IN 1920 SOME INDIANS WERE SUED THE GOVERNMENT WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM MORE LAND.  TODAY THEY ARE MAKING CHANGES TO THEIR SITUATION - INCREASING VOCATIONAL TRAINING, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND IMPROVED SERVICES.  THEIR SPIRIT HAS SURVIVED MUCH.

C  KEYWORTH