Alta California
Alta California was formed as a separate "missionary order" region, but was not separated administratively, when Spain expelled the Jesuits from its colonial territories. The Jesuits' existing Baja California missions were given to the Dominicans to operate. The proposed missions in Alta California were to be developed by the Franciscans. The first mission founded by the Franciscans was Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769.
As mandated by the Laws of the Indies, Gálvez's plans also included secular settlements, the pueblos. Much as had happened in the previous century on the Baja California Peninsula, first a system of presidios were established in Alta California to protect the missionaries. Two decades later secular towns were also established to bring in Hispanic settlers into the area and to provide food, material and a place for retirement for the presidio soldiers. The first town in Alta California was San José de Guadalupe in 1777, followed by Nuestra Señora, la Reina de los Ángeles in 1781. Other settlements formed around the presidios in Monterey and Santa Barbara. Spanish land grant Ranchos were the third part of establishing a proactive presence in northwestern New Spain
As Alta California developed and gained a larger Hispanic population, the need for a separate government became apparent. In 1804 the two areas were separated and Baja California peninsula and Alta California given separate governors. Diego de Borica is credited with defining Alta and Baja California's official borders. With Mexican independence in 1821 the two provinces became territories, and not states as most other areas of the country did, due to their small populations in the new republic then established in 1824. However, there were several attempts by Californios to gain independence from Mexico, both resulting in increased autonomy. The number land grant Ranchos increased during the Mexican California era.
Read more about this topic: The Californias
Famous quotes containing the word california:
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)