By Katie Nguyen 5/1/13 Mrs. Gil- Room 251 Mission San Juan Capistrano By Katie Nguyen 5/1/13 Mrs. Gil- Room 251

Founding History Mission San Juan Capistrano was established November 1st, 1776. The mission was named after Saint John of Capestrano, a 14th century theologian. It is the 7th out of 21 missions. The founding father president was Fray Junipero Serra. The founding missionaries were friars Pablo Mugártegui and Gregorio Amurrío.

Where’s it located? Mission San Juan Capistrano is located in the San Juan Valley. It is located in the center of the city, San Juan Capistrano. The street address is 26801 Oretega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, California, 92675. The town of San Jan Capistrano developed around the mission. The mission is located within sight of the Pacific Ocean.

Design/Layout of Mission San Juan Capistrano It is designed in a traditional quadrangle. It was made in the shape of a cross. You are able to see a view of the ocean from the mission. The mission has a cemetery, the Serra Church, a kitchen, the ruins of the Great Stone Church, and many more!

Daily Life On The Mission Native American Life Missionary Life First, The Native Americans woke up at dawn to the sound of the mission bells. Then they assembled and headed to church for morning prayers. Their breakfast was a small bowl of atole. After breakfast, The Native Americans checked their work assignments- men raised livestock, planted crops, etc. and woman cooked, tended to the children, made baskets, etc. Their lunch was pozole, vegetables, and meat. They then took a siesta (also known as a nap). The Native Americans had Mass and an atole supper. Lastly, they danced, played games, sung. After that, the Native Americans went to sleep and the cycle starts again. They were called on to perform many tasks. The missionaries taught the Native Americans about religion, crafts, farming, and ranching. They performed Catholic services such as Mass, baptisms, marriages, and funerals. One of the missionaries’ many jobs was to keep peace between the Native Americans and the soldiers. The Spanish government required the missionaries to keep detailed records and files of the Native Americans and daily life at the mission.

San Juan Capistrano Today Mission San Juan Capistrano is still undergoing restoration today. Many of the mission’s buildings still look the same as they did in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Ten acres of the mission complex have been transformed into an outdoor museum. The mission offers educational classes about California’s history to school groups. Visitors can tour the mission grounds and the restored buildings. Tourists can also look inside a kiitca where the Acágchemem Indians lived or look inside factories where the workers made soap, candles, and etc. Tourists can see original mission bells, the cemetery, the Serra Chapel, soldiers’ barracks, the jail, and the ruins of the church destroyed in the earthquake of 1812. The visitors’ center contains exhibits on tools, baskets, winemaking, plants and herbs, and the swallows who build their nests on the mission grounds. The ruins of San Juan Capistrano are currently being preserved by archaeologists and engineers.

Take A Stand The mission system (1769-1834) was a way to hold Spain’s claim on California’s land to prevent the Russians from invading it and a way to convince Native Americans to convert to Christianity. A man named José de Galvez got permission from the king of Spain to let him build missions, pueblos, and presidios with the help of Father Junipero Serra, Gaspar de Portolá, Father Juan Crespi, and many other people. In my opinion, the mission system was an unfair way of life for the Native Americans. Native Americans were forced to change their cultural beliefs and convert to Christianity. Native Americans were told to forget about their religion and if a Native American was caught practicing their own religion, he/she would be severely punished. They were told not to wear their traditional clothing and have the celebrations that were important to them. A lot of Native Americans did not like this at all. Another reason why I think that the mission system was a bad idea is that Native Americans had to follow a strict daily schedule. Every morning, usually at sunrise, Native Americans had to wake up to the sound of the mission bells and head to church for their morning prayers. Then, they were given a breakfast of atole. After that, children headed off to school, and adults would check their daily work assignments such as working in the fields or making pottery and baskets. Afterward, the Native Americans would have lunch. They then took a siesta (also known as a nap) and then returned to work. At the end of the day, Native Americans had supper and time for more prayers. A third reason why I think the mission system was unfair is because when Europeans came to California, they did not know that they had brought diseases with them like smallpox, measles, and influenza. The Native Americans did not have any cures for these diseases and their bodies could not fight these illnesses. The sicknesses spread quickly throughout the Native Americans, killing many of them and sometimes whole villages. After the first 75 years of life at the mission, only one-third of Native Americans remained. That is why the mission system was a bad idea.

Bibliography Edgar, Kathleen J. Mission San Juan Capistrano New York: PowerKids Press, 2000 “I am Morning Dove”. California Studies Weekly. Second Quarter 2012-2013 Week 12 http://www.missionscalifornia.com/ http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22722

More Facts! The mission once held a bell tower so tall it could be seen from 10 miles away! The Serra Church of 1777 is the oldest building still in use in California and the only surviving church where Father Serra said Mass. Crowds of people come to greet the return of the swallows every year on March 19th. There are three water source near the mission- the Trabuco stream, the Horno stream, and the San Juan stream.