Missions

Definition

Missions refer to the religious outposts and settlements established by European, primarily Spanish, colonizers in the Americas during the age of exploration and colonization. These missions served as centers for the propagation of Christianity, the conversion of indigenous populations, and the expansion of colonial control and influence.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Spanish missions were established to spread Catholicism and bring indigenous populations under Spanish colonial rule.
2. Missions often served as the first permanent European settlements in many regions, acting as hubs for further exploration and expansion.
3. Missionaries, such as Junípero Serra in California, played a central role in the establishment and management of the missions.
4. The mission system was closely tied to the encomienda system, which granted Spanish colonists control over indigenous labor and resources.
5. Tensions often arose between the religious and civil authorities over the control and administration of mission lands and resources.

Review Questions

• Explain the primary objectives of the Spanish missions in the Americas.
  • The primary objectives of the Spanish missions in the Americas were to spread Catholicism and Christianity among the indigenous populations, and to bring them under the political and economic control of the Spanish colonial empire. Missionaries were tasked with converting native peoples to the Catholic faith, while the missions also served as hubs for further exploration, settlement, and the extraction of labor and resources through the encomienda system.
• Describe the relationship between the Spanish missions and the encomienda system.
  • The Spanish missions were closely tied to the encomienda system, which granted Spanish colonists control over indigenous labor and resources. Missions often served as the first permanent European settlements in many regions, and the indigenous populations living within the mission's sphere of influence were assigned to Spanish landowners (encomenderos) in exchange for religious instruction and protection. This system allowed the Spanish to exert control over native populations and extract labor and resources to support the colonial economy.
• Analyze the tensions that arose between religious and civil authorities over the control and administration of mission lands and resources.
  • Tensions often arose between the religious and civil authorities over the control and administration of mission lands and resources. Missionaries, such as Junípero Serra, played a central role in the establishment and management of the missions, which were intended to serve primarily religious objectives. However, civil authorities and Spanish colonists also sought to exert control over the missions and their resources, leading to conflicts over the allocation of land, labor, and wealth. This tension reflected the competing interests and priorities of the religious and secular arms of the Spanish colonial system, and the challenges of balancing spiritual and temporal power in the colonial context.

Related terms

Encomienda System: A labor system implemented by the Spanish in their colonies, where indigenous people were assigned to Spanish landowners in exchange for religious instruction and protection.

Evangelization: The process of proselytizing and converting people to Christianity, a key objective of the Spanish missions.

Secularization: The process of converting mission lands and resources to civil, non-religious control and administration.