While the Spanish claimed to bring civilization to California indigenous peoples, in reality, they also brought violence and forced assimilation to European values. Primary sources, such as the reports of Catholic priests and Europeans living in California in the 1700s and 1800s, class members consider the impact on indigenous peoples. This helps them consider as a group the full effects of colonization.

Concepts

california, california history, native american culture, native american history, native american tribes, california missions, missions, spanish colonialism

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the SOAP approach to analyze primary source documents
• Extend learning and research the current status of indigenous peoples in California

Classroom Considerations

• Learners need background information about the historical context of Native American people prior to Spanish arrival in California
• The question implying that the mission system provided some advantages to native peoples could be considered racist and culturally insensitive

Pros

• Charts and graphic organizers scaffold challenging documents
• Primary sources are rich in detail

Cons

• The lesson does not include any Native American sources

Common Core

RI.4.1 RI.4.2 RI.4.3 RI.4.8 RI.4.9 L.4.4.a L.4.6