Spanish missionaries baptize Indians
149. How the Franciscans Ruled the Southwest.Centuries before Fremont or Kit Carson or any other American had seen the wonders of our western country, Spaniards made their homes there. Before theMayflowerlanded at Plymouth, Spanish missionaries had built many churches in the Southwest and had baptized thousands of Indians into the Christian faith.
Franciscan friars friends of the oppressed
The story of the Spaniards in New Mexico, Arizona, and California is not of victories won by the sword, but by the cross. The men who ruled this country were not soldiers, but pious Franciscan friars.
Many years ago there lived in Italy a godly man, St. Francis, who looked upon all poor and oppressed people as his children and devoted his life to their care. His followers, who are called Franciscan friars, have gone into all parts of the world to be missionaries to the poor and the heathen.
Serra builds a mission at San Diego
Greatest of the Franciscans who worked in the Southwest was Junipero Serra. One warm day in 1769 he came riding into San Diego on mule-back, a tall, thin figure, wrapped in a long gown. There were no missionaries at this time in California. He had come from Mexico with a small party to convert the Indians.At San Diego he saw "valleys studded with trees, wild vines covered with grapes, and native roses as fair and sweet as those of Castile."
Here was just the place to build a mission. First he set up a great wooden cross and said mass. There was no organ music, so the soldiers fired their arms instead. The simple Indians stood by in wonder and awe. Junipero Serra was a man of energy and action, and in a short time he had his first mission built. From San Diego he went northward and planted mission after mission as far north as San Francisco. When he died the Franciscan missions controlled practically all of southern California.
Mission buildings surrounded by gardens
Wherever the friars built a mission they made sure the soil was good and that there was plenty of water near by. For in much of that country little rain falls and many crops grow only when watered by irrigation. Having found a suitable place, they would then build a church. This was always the largest building of the mission. Some of the churches were very beautiful. Around the church clustered the houses of the friars and the huts of the Indians. Each mission was surrounded by beautiful gardens and orchards. A little farther away were the fields in which the grain was grown. All of these were watered by irrigation ditches that drew their water from some mountain stream. Beyond the cultivated land lay the ranches on which cattle and sheep grazed in great numbers.
Indians taught useful occupations
All the Indians in the neighborhood were made to live at the mission, and here they were taught the Christian religion. They were also taught many useful occupations. The men were shown how to farm, to make saddles, work at the forge and the carpenter bench, and other usefultrades. The women were instructed in spinning and weaving.
In the morning the angelus called every one to mass. After breakfast the day's work began and each Indian was sent to his task. Some cultivated the fields, some took care of the stock, some worked in the shops. Each one had to do his share of the work, and was punished if he disobeyed. He had to work, pray, and live as the friars told him.
Missions fall to ruin
When Mexico freed itself of Spanish rule, California became a part of Mexico. The new government put an end to the missions. The friars were forced to leave, and the Indians drifted back into their old wild life.
To-day nothing remains of the work of the friars except the old mission buildings. Most of them are in ruins, but they still tell of the quiet by-gone days when the gentle Franciscans ruled in California.
The Leading Facts.1.Houston had little schooling and went to live with the Cherokee Indians.2.Wounded at Horseshoe Bend; studied law in Nashville; was sent to Congress for four years; and was elected governor of Tennessee.3.Went to live with the Cherokees again, and then went to Texas.4.Houston won the battle of San Jacinto; was made president of the republic of Texas; and later elected to the United States Senate.5.David Crockett was born in Tennessee, had little schooling, and became an expert rifle shot.6.He fought the Indians under Andrew Jackson.7.Won an election to the legislature by telling stories; later elected to Congress.8.Crockett grew tired of civilization and returned to the wilderness.9.Fought against the Mexicans at the Alamo, where he was killed with all his companions.10.Fremont went to school in Charleston, but left for a voyage to South America.11.He worked for exploring parties; married, and thus became related to a great man interestedin the Far West.12.Fremont explored the South Pass on his first expedition; on his second, saw Great Salt Lake, and crossed the mountains with great suffering.13.Fremont crossed a third time, and aided in conquering California; was made a United States senator, and became first candidate of the Republican party for the presidency.14.Franciscan friars, long before the landing of the Pilgrims, entered what is now New Mexico, Arizona, and California.15.They taught the Indians the Christian religion and many useful occupations.Study Questions.1.What was peculiar in Houston's early life?2.What had he done before he began to study law?3.What made people like him?4.Where was the battle of Horseshoe Bend fought?5.How did the Cherokee chief welcome him?6.Why did Houston go back to Tennessee?7.What drew him to Texas?8.What were the first bad defeats of the Texans?9.Tell the story of San Jacinto.10.What kind of a general, a president, and a senator did Houston make?11.Where did Crockett spend his boyhood, and what fame did he gain?12.How did he win his way to the legislature?13.What made Crockett go back to the wilderness?14.Describe the fight at the Alamo.15.Who was John Charles Fremont?16.What of his youthful days?17.What experience in early days after college prepared him for his great work?18.Who was Kit Carson?19.Describe Fremont's journey to the South Pass.20.Tell what was seen and what was done there.21.What expedition did he now plan?22.Picture the scene on the discovery of the Great Salt Lake.23.Picture his exploration of the Great Basin and crossing the mountains.24.What was the contrast at Sutter's Fort?25.Describe the Digger Indians.26.At what was Fremont's third expedition aimed, and what did it really accomplish?27.Who was St. Francis?28.Describe Serra's arrival at San Diego.29.Why did he build a mission at San Diego?30.Describe life at a Spanish mission.31.What happened when Spanish rule was ended in California?Suggested Readings.Houston: Bruce,Life of General Houston.David Crockett: Crockett,Life of Davy Crockett; Lodge and Roosevelt,Hero Tales from American History, 171-181.Fremont: Bigelow,Life of John Charles Fremont, 1-216, 319-373, 379-466.
The Leading Facts.1.Houston had little schooling and went to live with the Cherokee Indians.2.Wounded at Horseshoe Bend; studied law in Nashville; was sent to Congress for four years; and was elected governor of Tennessee.3.Went to live with the Cherokees again, and then went to Texas.4.Houston won the battle of San Jacinto; was made president of the republic of Texas; and later elected to the United States Senate.5.David Crockett was born in Tennessee, had little schooling, and became an expert rifle shot.6.He fought the Indians under Andrew Jackson.7.Won an election to the legislature by telling stories; later elected to Congress.8.Crockett grew tired of civilization and returned to the wilderness.9.Fought against the Mexicans at the Alamo, where he was killed with all his companions.10.Fremont went to school in Charleston, but left for a voyage to South America.11.He worked for exploring parties; married, and thus became related to a great man interestedin the Far West.12.Fremont explored the South Pass on his first expedition; on his second, saw Great Salt Lake, and crossed the mountains with great suffering.13.Fremont crossed a third time, and aided in conquering California; was made a United States senator, and became first candidate of the Republican party for the presidency.14.Franciscan friars, long before the landing of the Pilgrims, entered what is now New Mexico, Arizona, and California.15.They taught the Indians the Christian religion and many useful occupations.
Study Questions.1.What was peculiar in Houston's early life?2.What had he done before he began to study law?3.What made people like him?4.Where was the battle of Horseshoe Bend fought?5.How did the Cherokee chief welcome him?6.Why did Houston go back to Tennessee?7.What drew him to Texas?8.What were the first bad defeats of the Texans?9.Tell the story of San Jacinto.10.What kind of a general, a president, and a senator did Houston make?11.Where did Crockett spend his boyhood, and what fame did he gain?12.How did he win his way to the legislature?13.What made Crockett go back to the wilderness?14.Describe the fight at the Alamo.15.Who was John Charles Fremont?16.What of his youthful days?17.What experience in early days after college prepared him for his great work?18.Who was Kit Carson?19.Describe Fremont's journey to the South Pass.20.Tell what was seen and what was done there.21.What expedition did he now plan?22.Picture the scene on the discovery of the Great Salt Lake.23.Picture his exploration of the Great Basin and crossing the mountains.24.What was the contrast at Sutter's Fort?25.Describe the Digger Indians.26.At what was Fremont's third expedition aimed, and what did it really accomplish?27.Who was St. Francis?28.Describe Serra's arrival at San Diego.29.Why did he build a mission at San Diego?30.Describe life at a Spanish mission.31.What happened when Spanish rule was ended in California?
Suggested Readings.Houston: Bruce,Life of General Houston.
David Crockett: Crockett,Life of Davy Crockett; Lodge and Roosevelt,Hero Tales from American History, 171-181.
Fremont: Bigelow,Life of John Charles Fremont, 1-216, 319-373, 379-466.