Yesenia Madrigal

Liberal Studies 375

March 2, 2015
Essay 1
When the new world came to be discovered by several Europeans both preceding and
following the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the settlers were astounded by the culture,
customs, and people they saw. These people were completely different from Europeans in a
variety of ways including how they looked, what they ate, and how they lived. It comes to no
surprise that the settlers felt as if they had to civilize the natives by any means necessary. In an
attempt to save the natives souls and to teach them how to act and live, settlers would set up
institutions such as the missions in California.
When Jean Francoise De La Perouse arrived to the California in 1786, he came to explore the
California coast because until that time there was not much information known of the western
world to other European countriesi. In the book Life in a California Mission, which is composed
of journals written by Jean Francoise De La Perouse, De La Perouse tells of what he experienced
upon his arrival to Mission San Carlos in the Monterrey area. To much surprise, De La Perouses
view of the Christian mission at San Carlos was not favorable. Although friars and priests argued
that they set up missions and did the practices they did in order to convert the local Indians, De
La Perouse saw something different. What De La Perouse noticed was that there was not much
difference between their French colonies and the Spanish missions, when comparing these two
groups he saw that the natives conditions in San Carlos scarcely differs from that of the Negro
inhabitants of our colonies, at least those plantations [are] governed with the most mildness
and humanity. ii(p.70)

De la Perouse perceives the natives of the Monterrey area as uncivilized and completely
different in appearance from how they-Europeans look. He sees a resemblance in appearance to
that of Negroes. However, he also notices that they have the capability to be a self sustaining
society, that if they were not treated as children or as slaves that they would have the courage to
escape from those who have taken the pains to instruct them. iii(pg.70) The Indians in the
mission San Carlos had no choice but to listen to the settlers and to convert to Christianity, they
had two choices, either they become neophytes (newly converted Indian Christians) or they get
killed just as the many other thousands of Indians who tried to escaped from missions in an
attempt to gain their freedom.
Although the religious individuals that De La Perouse encountered demonstrated good
qualities to him, the same treatment was not given to the natives. What De La Perouse wished
was that they (the priests, friars, etc) were a little more (familiar with) the spirit of philosophy.
Philosophy which is the study of knowledge, existence and reality thereof is what De La Perouse
believed that those who are head of the missions should exemplify more towards Indians.
Corporal punishment as a result of disbelief will not help the natives understand that they need to
be converted but will only create fear and hostility within them. If an Indian were to run away
from the mission he belonged to they were summoned to return and if they refused, soldiers were
sent to seize him and take him to the mission where they would decide how many lashes will be
given to him. Knowing this disturbs De La Perouse. He does not agree with the manner in which
the mission was being run by the Spanish settlers.
Although others might state that the missions were only benefitting institutions for Indians, as
they were converted to Christianity and were taught to live different lifestyles, witnesses like De

La Perouse would beg to differ and offer his observations as a premise for his arguments.
Without doubt, the only ones who were benefitted from the missions in California were the
Spanish settlers because they gained control of more land and workers.

http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/The-dark-terrible-secret-of-California-smissions-2685666.php
ii

De La Perouse, Jean, and Malcolm Margolin.

. Berkeley: Heyday, 1995. Print.

iii

De La Perouse, Jean, and Malcolm Margolin.

. Berkeley: Heyday, 1995. Print.