5.3 Native Californians in the rancho era

The Rancho Era in California marked a significant shift for Native Californians. After Mexican independence in 1821, mission lands were privatized, leading to the expansion of ranchos. This change left natives vulnerable to exploitation and displacement, eroding their traditional practices.

Native Californians adapted to the new economy by learning ranching skills and preserving their culture in secret. They also employed various strategies, from legal petitions to rebellions, to navigate the challenges of this era and maintain their communities.

Native Californians in the Rancho Era

Native Californians under Mexican rule

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• Mexican independence from Spain in 1821 led to secularization of missions in 1834 and distribution of mission lands to private owners
• Rancho system expanded with large land grants given to Mexican citizens fostering growth of cattle ranching and agriculture (Rancho Los Alamitos)
• Native Californians lost mission protection and support increasing vulnerability to exploitation
• Living conditions worsened as natives faced displacement from traditional lands and forced relocation to work on ranchos
• Cultural impact included erosion of traditional practices and beliefs while adopting Spanish language and customs

Changes in labor systems

• Transition from mission labor to rancho labor shifted from communal work to individual contracts and introduced debt peonage system
• Types of labor on ranchos included cattle herding and branding, crop cultivation and harvesting, and domestic work in rancho households
• Working conditions deteriorated with long hours, minimal compensation, and limited personal freedom and mobility
• Impact on Native communities disrupted traditional social structures, fragmented families and kinship networks, and led to loss of economic self-sufficiency

Native strategies for social adaptation

• Adaptation to rancho economy involved learning new skills in agriculture and animal husbandry (cattle roping) and developing trade relationships with rancho owners
• Preservation of cultural identity maintained through practicing traditions in secret and blending Native and Mexican cultural elements (syncretic religious practices)
• Resistance and rebellion manifested in individual acts of defiance and organized uprisings against rancho owners (Chumash Revolt of 1824)
• Formation of new communities established independent Native settlements and created multi-ethnic communities with other marginalized groups
• Legal strategies included petitioning Mexican authorities for land rights and seeking protection under Mexican laws
• Economic diversification engaged natives in small-scale trading and providing specialized services to ranchos and towns (leatherworking)