How Did The Spanish Influence The Culture Of California

For thousands of years, Native Indians called the California coast home. Despite the vast varieties of tribes and bands, they adapted well to the region and lived peaceful lives. However, that changed with the arrival of the Spanish, who held an air or superiority over the Indigenous people. With drastically different cultural and social beliefs, as well as customs, the Spanish held a contempt over the Native population. Prior to the Spanish arrival the estimated native population was in the millions. Along with the diseases, brought by the Spanish, millions of Natives died due to maltreatment during the missions.
California’s Native Americans flourished for 15,000 years. They were nomadic hunters but also had great gathering skills. They lived their lives free from regime. The population was dense, culturally diverse, and the languages in that state were vast, hundreds of tribes and bands coexisted. Even though the land was used and manipulated to enhance
‘Run away’s’, as they were called, were given a chance to return. If they didn’t, mission soldiers were sent to seize them and bring them back. The punishment being a set number of lashes from a whip, which was inflicted in public to serve as an example to others. Woman who were whipped were lashed in a distant area so their cries of pain could not be heard by the native men. Physical punishment was common and inflicted on both sexes and even on children. Irons, stocks, and rawhide ropes were all used in forms of corporal punishment. The Spanish believed their treatment of the California Indians were justified because they believed the indigenous people were barbaric, with ferocious habits. Because the natives lacked a government system, proper education, religion, and had no respect for authority the Spanish felt the punishment and penalties inflicted needed to differ from cultured and civilized