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Lucila Sibrian
LBS 375
September 29, 2015
Life In A California Mission
We have learned through out the years about the California Missions and how it is a huge
part of California history. I find it fascinating how much the California Missions helped shaped
this state and how we as Californians are somewhat part of this history by learning first hand
about it. But we also learned that this part of history was a very brutal one. Lots of lives were
changed and killed during that time the California Missions were folding. Now we come to the
real questions. Who started this historic time? What was its purpose for it? What did the natives
think of this change? How did this brutal yet fascinated time shape the California Missions?
Jean Francois Galaup de La Perouse was born in 1741 in Southern France. La Perouse
was a very involved human being at such a young age. He was part of different wars by the age
of eighteen. Because of his accomplishments the King of France Louis XVI send Capt. De La
Perouse to his expedition around the world. Louis XVI decided to pick him because of his skills,
experience, and his personality. Louis XVI knew he was the right man to trust on a mission that
would require the most advanced levels of diplomacy.1
When La Perouse and his men arrived at Mission San Carlos they, were received with open arms
by Fr. Fermin Lasuen. Once they arrived they were promised many things for example, they
promised to inform them the concerns the government of their missions, how the Indians were
living and mostly anything that would be important for future travelers to know about. La
Persouse and his men were received like lords. Fr. Lausen treated them with lots of respect and
made them center of attention.
1 De La Permso, Life In California Mission, Berkeley, CA, Heyday Books, 1989,
pg. 11

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La Perouse was touched by how well he was being treated by the Spaniards. He also had to
leave a great impression to the Spanish because the king ordered him as well. He was praised
with food like chicken, cows and vegetables and also gave him wood and anything else that was
possible to give him. But when it came to the treatment of the native people he had a different
feeling for it.
La Perouse and his men encountered many disturbing things that would happen to the
native people. Once they heard the noise of the whips, hearing their punishment being performs
right under their noses they proceed to ask questions about these punishments. They also learned
that these punishments happen to both sexes and no one is pretty much saved from these
punishments. La Perouse compared these punishment like slave plantations he had visited in the
West. One of the events that made him have these opinions when he learned that when an Indian
is being baptized is the same as if he is signing his life away. If one of the Indian tries to escape
back to his or her life the missionaries will let the governor know and will send soldiers to seize
them in midst of there family and will be condemned to receive a certain number of lashes with
the whip.2
La Perouse described in every detail possible what he witness and from the studies he wrote in
an contemporary voice. He argued about the social reforms, economic developments, and
scientific inquiry.3 He described how he witness lots of Indians being forced to be baptized to the
Christian religion for both men and women and also learn that many also lost their lives.
In my opinion I think the visit to Monterey was a success for the French because they got to
learn lots of the history that the mission exposed. If no one had been there to witness that we
would only have the opinion of the missionaries and from learning how they were I am pretty
2 De La Permso, pg. 82
3 De La Permso, pg. 49

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sure that they would have came up with many lies. Its sad knowing that many Indias had to go
through this brutal life. I am as well shocked because growing up I did not know about that part
of history. The Indias were, a bigger part of the missions history and because of them, it helped
shaped up California.