1. Spanish missions in the Americas – During the Age of Discovery; the Christian Church inaugurated a major effort to spread Christianity in the New World by converting indigenous peoples. As such, the establishment of Christian missions went hand-in-hand with the colonizing efforts of European powers such as Spain, France and Portugal. For these nations, "the colonial enterprise was based on the necessity to develop the obligation to propagate the Christian faith." According to Adriaan van Oss, "Catholicism remains the colonial heritage of Spain in America. Christian doctrines have been accused of justifying and perpetrating violence against Native Americans found in the New World. According to Colin Calloway, the "Spanish missions also produced massive population decline, food shortages, violence." However, other scholars point out that the Catholic Church often defended the rights of Native Americans. For example, Jesuits devoted themselves to the interests of Native Americans. During Father Eusebio Kino's stay in the Pimería Alta, he founded over twenty missions in eight mission districts. In Arizona, unlike Mexico, missionization proceeded slowly. Father Kino founded missions San Xavier and San Miguel at the Piman communities of Bac and Guevavi along the Santa Cruz. Fort in the area was Santa Elena, which survived until 1587. The Spanish chapter of Georgia's earliest colonial history is dominated by the lengthy mission era, extending from 1568 through 1684. The early missions in present-day Georgia were established to serve the Guale and various Timucua peoples, including the Mocama. Later the missions served other peoples who had entered the region, including the Yamassee.Spanish missions in the Americas – A plaque showing the locations of a third of the missions between 1565 and 1763
3. Spanish missions in California – Following a long-term secular and religious policy of Spain in Latin America, the missionaries forced the native Californians to live in settlements called reductions. At the peak of its development in 1832, the coastal mission system controlled an area equal to approximately one-sixth of Alta California. The Alta California government secularized the missions after the passage of the Mexican secularization act of 1833. This divided the mission lands into land grants, which became many of the Ranchos of California. The surviving mission buildings are its most-visited historic monuments. Prior to 1754, grants of mission lands were made directly by the Spanish Crown. The missions were to be interconnected by an overland route which later became known as the Camino Real. The detailed direction of the missions was to be carried out by O.F.M.. . Work on the coastal mission chain was concluded in 1823, completed after Serra's death in 1784. Plans to build a twenty-second mission in Santa Rosa in 1827 were canceled. The Santa Ysabel Asistencia had been founded in 1818 as a "mother" mission, however the plan's expanding beyond never came to fruition. Each frontier station was forced to be self-supporting, as existing means of supply were inadequate to maintain a colony of any size. Although the missions were considered temporary ventures by the Spanish hierarchy, the development of an individual settlement was not simply a matter of "priestly whim." It was these simple huts that ultimately gave way to the stone and adobe buildings that exist to the present.Spanish missions in California – A view of Mission San Juan Capistrano in. At left is the façade of the first adobe church with its added espadaña; behind the campanario, or "bell wall" is the "Sacred Garden." The Mission has earned a reputation as the "Loveliest of the Franciscan Ruins."
4. Spanish missions in Baja California – The missions introduced European livestock, fruits, vegetables, industry into the region. The last of the missionaries departed in 1840. Some of the mission churches are still in use. As early as the voyages of Christopher Columbus, the Kingdom of Spain sought to establish missions to convert pagans to Catholicism in Nueva España. New Spain consisted of the Caribbean, portions of what is now the Southwestern United States. To facilitate colonization, the Catholic Church awarded these lands to Spain. Asistencias were small-scale missions that regularly lacked a resident priest. Smaller sites called visitas were often attended only sporadically. Since 1493, the Crown of Spain had maintained missions throughout Nueva España. Each frontier station was forced to be self-supporting, as existing means of supply were inadequate to maintain a colony of any size. Scarcity of imported materials and lack of skilled laborers compelled the Fathers to employ simple building methods. Although the Spanish hierarchy considered temporary ventures, individual settlement development was not based simply on "priestly whim." The founding of a mission followed longstanding procedures. The paperwork demanded the attention of virtually every level of the bureaucracy. Construction of the iglesia created the center of the community.Spanish missions in Baja California – Misión Santa Rosalía de Mulegé in Baja California Sur
5. Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos – The Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos are located in Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia. Six of these former missions collectively were designated in 1990. The interior region bordering Spanish and Portuguese territories in South America was largely unexplored at the end of the 17th century. They built churches in a distinct style that combined elements of native and European architecture. The indigenous inhabitants of the missions were taught European music as a means of conversion. The missions were virtually autonomous from the Spanish crown. After the expulsion of the Jesuit order from Spanish territories in 1767, most Jesuit reductions in South America fell into ruins. The former Jesuit missions of Chiquitos are unique because their associated culture have survived largely intact. A large project of the missionary churches began with the arrival of the former Swiss Jesuit and architect Hans Roth in 1972. Since 1990, these former Jesuit missions have become a tourist destination. The six World Heritage Site settlements are located in the semiarid lowlands of Santa Cruz Department of eastern Bolivia. They lie in an area near the Gran Chaco, east and northeast between the Paraguay and Guapay rivers. The westernmost missions are San Xavier and Concepción, located in the province of Ñuflo de Chávez between the San Julián and Urugayito rivers. San José de Chiquitos is located in Chiquitos province, about 200 kilometres south of San Rafael. A 16th-century Spanish conquistador and founder of Santa Cruz "la Vieja", introduced the name Chiquitos, or little ones.Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos – Church in Concepción
7. Spanish missions in Florida – The missions of what are now southeastern Georgia were divided into main four provinces where the bulk of missionary effort took place. These provinces roughly corresponded to the areas where those dialects were spoken among the varying American peoples, thus, they reflected the territories of the peoples. There were also ephemeral attempts to establish missions particularly further south into Florida. The Spanish missions to the Indians of Florida, starting with the foundation of St. Augustine in 1565, were attached to presidios. Most of the presidios were unsustainable. By 1573 Santa Elena was abandoned in 1587. The missions at the presidios were staffed by the Jesuits. Franciscan friars entered at first confined their activities to the immediate vicinity of St. Augustine. The Franciscans began taking their mission along the Atlantic coast in 1587. Starting in 1606 the Franciscans by 1633 had established missions in Apalachee Province. The network of missions took its heaviest blow into the area during Queen Anne's War. Most of the Spanish missions in the Apalachee Province were wiped out during the Apalachee massacre. The mission buildings of La Florida were built with posts set into the ground. The walls were palmetto thatch, left open. Scholars believe the roofs were thatched.Spanish missions in Florida – A plaque showing the locations of a third of the missions between 1565 and 1763
10. Spanish missions in New Mexico – The Spanish Missions in New Mexico were a series of religious outposts in the Province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México — present day New Mexico. They attempted to Hispanicize the indigenous peoples. The affected included the rich cultures and tribes of: many of the 21 distinct Puebloan groups; the Tiwa;; the Apache. The missions also aimed to pacify resistance to loss of traditions. The missions introduced European livestock, fruits, small-scale industry into the Southwest region. They also introduced European diseases that the native people had no immunity against. Fray Marcos de Niza, sent by Coronado, first saw the area now known as New Mexico in 1539. The permanent settlement was Mission San Gabriel, founded in 1598 by Juan de Oñate near what is now known as the San Juan Pueblo. See also Isleta Pueblo Mission San Buenaventura de Cochiti - Completed in 1628, renovated in the 1960s. Completed in 1641, in continuous use since. — see also Acoma Pueblo. Mission San Felipe - Built on the site of a previous church Mission San Gregorio de Abó - Established by Fray Francisco Acevedo. Ruins are now part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Mission San Ildefonso - The original mission church was built in 1711, but was later destroyed. Mission Nuestra Señora de Perpetuo Socorro, today known as the Mission San Miguel - Established in 1598 by Fray Alfonso Benavidez and another Franciscan friar.Spanish missions in New Mexico – Quarai Mission church in 1940. Photo: George A. Grant.
11. Jesuit reduction – A Jesuit reduction was a type of settlement for indigenous people in South America created by the Jesuit Order during the 17th and 18th centuries. The strategy of the Spanish Empire was to gather native populations into centers called "Indian reductions", in order to govern them more efficiently. The Jesuit interpretation of this strategy was implemented primarily in an area that corresponds to modern-day Paraguay amongst the Tupi-Guarani peoples. Later reductions were extended into areas now part of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia. To understand the impetus behind these Jesuit efforts, one must take into account the Catholic belief about current at that time. It would be centuries before the Catholic church would reconsider its glum appraisal of the chances of salvation for those not baptized into the Church. From this came the heroic efforts of missionaries to the detriment of native cultures, which few today could countenance. Under the leadership of native caciques, the reductions achieved a high degree of autonomy within the colonial empire. With the use of Indian labour, the reductions became economically successful. When their existence was threatened by the incursions of Bandeirante slave traders, Indian militia were created that fought effectively against the colonists. In the 16th century, priests of religious orders set out bringing Christianity to indigenous communities. Legally, under colonial rule, Indians were classified in effect children, to be guided to salvation by European missionaries. The Jesuit reductions originated in the early century when Bishop Lizarraga asked for Paraguay. In 1609, acting under instructions from Phillip III, the Spanish governor of Asunción made a deal with the Jesuit Provincial of Paraguay. The Jesuits agreed to set up hamlets at strategic points along the Paraná river, that were populated with Indians and maintained a separation from Spanish towns.Jesuit reduction – The Jesuit reduction of São Miguel das Missões, in Brazil
12. Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda – The Franciscan Missions of the Sierra Gorda in the Mexican state of Querétaro were declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 2003. They are credited to Junípero Serra of the Franciscan Order, who also founded important missions in Alta California. The facades of these churches are important because of the “Mestizo Baroque” style, which shows significant indigenous influence by the Pame Indians who built them. The region consists of a series of mountain chains that run northwest to southeast. All of the Sierra Gorda is marked by very rugged terrain, which includes steep mountains. Oak forests, mostly found on mountain peaks, banana and sugar cane fields in the deeper canyons. On the east side, there are deciduous forests. On the west side, bordering the Mexican Plateau, there are desert and desert conditions, with a variety of cactus and arid scrub brush. The wide variations of altitude and rainfall favor a wide variety of flora and wildlife. In addition, there were also groups of Otomis and Huasteca to be found. The Spanish could not dominate the center in what is now Querétaro. This is because fierce resistance, especially by the Jonaz. Efforts to dominate the region included evangelization efforts, many of which failed before the 18th century. During the 17th century, there were attempts to evangelize the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro by the Augustinians, Franciscans and Dominicans. However, almost all of these missions were destroyed soon after they were built by the indigenous communities.Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda – Mission At Santiago de Jalpan
13. Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert – Jesuits in missions in Northwestern Mexico wrote reports that throw light on the indigenous peoples they evangelized. Relación de la Provincia de Nuestra Señora de Sinaloa was published in 1945. An important Jesuit report concerned the resistance to evangelization, Historia de la tercera rebelión tarahumara. During Father Eusebio Kino's stay in the Pimería Alta, he founded over twenty missions in eight mission districts. On February 1768, King Carlos III ordered the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain and its overseas empire. Despite the order, many Jesuits remained as late as the 1780s. Misión de Cuquiárachi founded in 1645, south of Fronteras, Sonora Mission Nuestra Señora de los Dolores: founded on March 1687. This was the first mission founded by Father Kino. By 1744, the mission was abandoned. Nuestra Señora de los Remedios was abandoned by 1730. Nothing remains of this mission. San Ignacio de Cabórica is located in San Ignacio, Sonora. Mission San Pedro y San Pablo del Tubutama was founded in Tubutama, Sonora. Santa Teresa de Atil was founded in the small town of Atil, Sonora. Santa María Magdalena was founded in 1687, located in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora.Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert – Mission San Xavier del Bac.
15. Spanish missions in Texas – The missions introduced European livestock, fruits, industry into the Texas area. In all, twenty-six missions were maintained within the future boundaries of the state of Texas. Since 1493, Spain had maintained a number of missions throughout New Spain in order to facilitate colonization of these lands. Following policy, Franciscan missionaries sought to make life within mission communities closely resemble that of Spanish villages and Spanish culture. In order to become productive inhabitants, Native Americans learned vocational skills. Gear for horses, oxen, mules fell into disrepair, blacksmithing skills soon became indispensable. Weaving skills were needed to help clothe the inhabitants. As buildings became more elaborate, mission occupants learned carpentry under the direction of craftsmen contracted by the missionaries. Then their communities could be incorporated as such into colonial society. This transition from official status to ordinary Spanish society, when it occurred in an official manner, was called "secularization." This had resulted often in the abuse and even enslavement of the Indians and a heightening of antagonism. Spanish Texas was a part of New Spain. On its southern edge, Texas was bordered by the province of Coahuila. The boundary between the provinces was set at the line formed of the Rio Grande. On the east, Texas bordered French Louisiana.Spanish missions in Texas – Spanish missions within the boundaries of what is now the U.S. state of Texas
16. Franciscan missions to the Maya – The Franciscan Missions to the Maya were the attempts of the Franciscans to Christianize the indigenous peoples of the New World, specifically the Maya. They began to take place soon after the discovery of the New World made by Christopher Columbus in 1492, which opened the door for Catholic missions. The goal of the missions was to spread the Christian faith through "word and example". Their attempts, however, resulted in rebellion. Spreading Christianity to the newly discovered continent was a top priority, but only one piece of the Spanish system. A goal was to change the nomadic Indian into a model of the Spanish people and society. Basically, the aim was for urbanization. The missions achieved this by “offering gifts and persuasion…and safety from enemies." Essentially, this meant that there was no one to defy the goings-on of the Franciscans at this time. The original method of instruction of the "new faith" to the Maya was very simple. "example" would be all they need to show these people. Thus the ideal method of teaching was to avoid "direct exercise of power." Another means of conversion was the education of the Mayan youth. According to Fray Diego de Landa in his book Relación de las cosas de Yucatán, this program was quite successful, an “admirable thing to see." The early success through peaceful teaching and quiet example of the Franciscan missionaries, however, was short lived.Franciscan missions to the Maya – The chapel of Mission San Pedro y San Pablo del Tubutama