What is Missions of California?
[[File:LA PURISIMA MISSION, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CA.jpg|thumb|300x300px|Mission La Purísima Concepción]] The '''California missions''' were made by [[Spanish Empire|Spain]] and were located in [[Alta California]], now known as just [[California]]. The purpose of these missions were to bring [[Christianity]] to the [[Native American|natives]]. Many of the cities you see today in California are named after the missions. Spain sent [[priests]] and [[soldiers]] to build the missions. The leader of the priests was [[Junipero Serra]]. They often used [[violence]] to force the natives into helping to build their missions. Other times they would [[bribe]] the natives, promising to give them [[spices]] and money. The natives were forced to stay at the missions until their training was complete. As a result, many natives tried to escape. These natives were brought back to the mission, beaten, and [[Punishment|punished]]. The soldiers would often beat the natives in public to show the natives what would be done if they didn't follow the rules. The end of the mission era in Alta California was after [[Mexico]] was finally free from Spain. Mexico decided that they would close down the missions. Today, the missions of California are used as [[wedding]] places, [[Church (building)|churches]], and [[Museum|museums]]. The 21 missions of California are listed in order by the date that they were made. # (1769) Mission San Diego de Alcalá # (1770) Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo # (1771) Mission San Antonio de Padua # (1771) Mission San Gabriel # (1772) [[Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa]] # (1776) Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores) # (1776) Mission San Juan Capistrano # (1777) Mission Santa Clara de Asís # (1782) Mission San Buenaventura # (1786) Mission Santa Barbara # (1787) Mission La Purísima Concepción # (1791) Mission Santa Cruz # (1791) Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad # (1797) Mission San José # (1797) Mission San Juan Bautista # (1797) Mission San Miguel Arcángel # (1797) Mission San Fernando Re