Title: Mexican secularization act of 1833 - Wikipedia
Headings: Mexican secularization act of 1833
Mexican secularization act of 1833
Contents
Background
Proclamation of Emancipation
Secularization Act
Failed distribution to indigenous people
Mission lands confiscated
Sub-missions also lost
Rancho period
Statehood
Abraham Lincoln and the return of ownership
Current status
See also
References
External links

Content: established by Catholic priests of the Franciscan order between 1769 and 1833, to spread Christianity among the local Native Americans. The missions were part of the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific Coast region, the most northern and western parts of Spain's North American land claims. The settlers introduced European fruits, vegetables, cattle, horses, ranching and technology into the Alta California region and to the Mission Indians. The El Camino Real road connected the missions from San Diego to Mission San Francisco Solano, in Sonoma, a length of 529 miles (851 km). Between 1683 and 1834, Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries established a series of religious outposts from today's Baja California and Baja California Sur into present-day California . Proclamation of Emancipation
José María de Echeandía, the first Mexican-born, elected Governor of Alta California issued a "Proclamation of Emancipation" (or " Prevenciónes de Emancipacion ") on July 25, 1826. All Indians within the military districts of San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Monterey who were found qualified were freed from missionary rule and made eligible to become Mexican citizens. Those who wished to remain under mission tutelage (guardianship) were exempted from most forms of corporal punishment. By 1830 even those new to California appeared confident in their own abilities to operate the mission ranches and farms independently; the padres, however, doubted the capabilities of their charges in this regard.