As a fifth generation native Californian, I have studied this period of our history extensively and can tell you your teacher has given you a biased and unbalanced view of history. California was a Spanish colony. Spain itself, as a result of a 500 year war against Moslem invaders, was just coming out of feudalism itself. In the times described, such harsh punishment was not unusual in Spanish society toward all of the “lower classes” not just the Indians. The punishment wasn’t given to make them slaves or prisioners, but as the penalty for running away from one’s responsibilities at the mission community they had agreed to belong to. Often, according to contemporary accounts, many of these “escapees” would be fleeing some criminal act or returning to their tribes to engage in activities that were forbidden to Christians and come back only to be fed.
By our more enlightened standards, none of this makes right what occured and, indeed, sometimes such punishments were administered unjustly by less than perfect men (as we all are). But it is supremely ignorant to judge previous generations by our standards a) because they were not aware of these standards, and b) because we weren’t there. The idea that most reservations are in the mountains because that’s where they had fled to is ridiculous. More likely it was because American settlers wanted the farmable flat land for themselves and, in California, the only thing left is desert and mountain.
If it is still in print, I recommend you find and read “Junipero Serra: The Apostle of California.” At least you’ll have the other side of the story.
