▁of ▁colon ization ▁had ▁on ▁modern ▁day ▁California ▁cannot ▁be ▁over st ated . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁certain ▁co operation ▁between ▁Church ▁and ▁State ▁that ▁was ▁part ▁and ▁par cel ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁California ▁mission ▁system ▁was ▁soon ▁disc arded ▁by ▁the ▁Mexican ▁government , ▁it ▁non eth eless ▁provided ▁a ▁foundation ▁upon ▁which ▁later ▁forms ▁of ▁government ▁would ▁soon ▁be ▁established . ▁The ▁early ▁miss ions ▁and ▁their ▁sub - m issions ▁formed ▁the ▁nuc lei ▁of ▁what ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁the ▁major ▁metropol itan ▁areas ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco ▁and ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁many ▁other ▁smaller ▁municipal ities . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁clear ing ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁Spanish , ▁Mexican , ▁and ▁later ▁American ▁sett lers , ▁the ▁early ▁Spanish ▁mission ▁system ▁established ▁the ▁vi ability ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁Western ▁econom ies ▁of ▁cattle ▁and ▁agricult ure ▁which ▁surv ive ▁in ▁modern ▁form ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁to ▁this ▁day . ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish ▁mission ▁system ▁acted ▁to ▁" sett le ▁and ▁Western ize " ▁California , ▁but ▁unfortunately ▁did ▁so ▁very ▁much ▁at ▁the ▁exp ense ▁of ▁the ▁earlier ▁Native ▁American ▁Culture ▁of ▁California ▁that ▁had ▁preced ed ▁the ▁Spanish ▁mission ▁system . ▁ ▁Mission ▁administration , ▁locations ▁and ▁military ▁districts ▁ ▁System ▁Father - Pres ident es ▁▁▁▁ ▁The ▁Rev . ▁Jun í per o ▁Ser ra ▁( 1 7 6 9 – 1 7 8 4 ) ▁ ▁The ▁Rev . ▁Francisco ▁Pal ó u ▁( pres idente ▁pro ▁temp ore ) ▁( 1 7 8 4