The central idea is to establish a Spanish presence along the coast to back up the claims to the territory first made during Cabrillo's expedition in 1542. Since there was neither interest nor funds for establishing Spanish settlements, Gálvez, prompting or prompted by King Carlos III, hits on the idea of enlisting the native population to do it. This left the problem of how to motivate them, which is where Serra came in: they would be converted to Christianity and thus become loyal Spanish subjects. The plan was that after a ten-year period, the missions would be handed over to the natives, who would run the towns. 

A tiny number of Spaniards undertook this task; in the first ten years, perhaps around one hundred men. Yet the project still turned into a genocidal disaster. This was not due to the invaders' brutality -- though the military that backed them up was a formidable force. The chief agents of death were the invisible microbes they brought with them. As in the rest of the New World, death rates close to 90% over the century following contact were typical, a scenario hard to fathom or imagine. 

The Spanish worried about the presence of Russian trappers. The irony of the entire enterprise is that in the end it was largely pointless: the United States conquered the area in 1846-48. 

The official purpose of the forts was to protect the padres. The soldiers were called "leather-jacket" troops, from the thick jackets they wore as protection against arrows. Vallejo reports the King of Spain had decreed that each soldier should have a sword, shield, lance (a sharp steel head on a long pole), shotgun, several pistols, six horses, a colt, and a mule.

In 1775, the mission was moved to a new and prosperous site, producing large crops of wheat, corn, and beans. Herds of cattle provided the means for the highly prized industries of tallow-rendering and soap-making, as well as tanning hides for leather goods. The Native Americans here were also highly skilled weavers and wine makers.

While the natives near the site were friendly, just south of the mission were tribes that were determined to drive the white men out of the area. They would shoot burning arrows into the dry tinder buildings that would quickly spread to other buildings causing considerable damage and setbacks for the missionaries.

Captain Juan Bautista de Anza's first expedition to Alta California, with 34 men, 140 horses, and 65 cattle. For a quick take on the trip, see de Anza, Trailblazer. For the decisive role of the Baja Cochimí Sebastian Tarabal in the expedition, see Street. For a contemporary poem on the expedition, see red slider's "Spirit of the Ground." For a more detailed narrative, see Meredith Hindley's preview of the NEH-funded de Anza project at the University of Oregon and excerpts from Garate's Ruta Nacional Historica.  For de Anza and Tarabal's forerunners, see Harlan Hague's The Search for a Southern Overland Route to California. For further sources, see Chumash Bibliography.

"We set out from the little arroyo at seven o'clock in the morning, and passed through a village to which we were invited by some ten Indians, who came to the camp very early in the morning singing. We were welcomed by the Indians of the village, whom I estimated at some four hundred persons, with singular demonstrations of joy, singing and dancing." See history of the Muwekma Ohlone (external).

It was slow and expensive work to sail the fragile vessels against the prevailing winds and currents, and they were not used for importing Indian labor--only for delivering food, tools, artisans, colonists, and Spanish officials.

Extensive irrigation provided by a seven-mile-long aqueduct that brought water to the mission from the Ventura River, permitting the production of many types of fruit, grains and vegetables. Due to the outstanding climate they were even able to grow exotic crops such as sugar cane, bananas, coconuts and figs.

Here is the tourist version of the event, posted on Central Coast Net: "With plans to establish a military presidio and a mission, the group that officially founded Santa Barbara was led by Father Junipero Serra, and included Captain Jose Ortega and Governor Felipe de Neve. Chumash Chief Yanonali welcomed the Spaniards and offered them assistance." 

Juana Maria, the Lone Woman of San Nicholas. At some point -- I've been unable to determine the date -- the Spanish removed all the inhabitants of San Nicholas island, but a young woman got left behind. Eighteen years later, she was found, in good health, and pursuaded to come to the mainland, where she died of disease within seven weeks. Juana Maria is buried at the Santa Barbara Mission. See mural and "Woman Spirit" by Janet White; the story is retold in Scott O'Dell's Island of the Blue Dolphin (see Teacher's Guide -- all external).

When the Governor heard what was happening he sent soldiers from Monterey. After a battle of three hours the Native group surrendered. Sixteen of their men had died and many more were injured. In order to prevent any future uprising the Governor ordered severe punishments for the natives. Seven Native men were condemned to death and eighteen others were sentenced to prison.

For example, the barely completed Mission San Francisco Solano came under the control of General Mariano Vallejo. He was supposed to see that the mission properties were distributed to the original inhabitants, but claimed the mission property as his own and added it to his already vast property holdings in the area. With the promise of protection, room and board, he put the indiginous population to work for him.