The California Mission Period
The California “mission period” lasted from 1769 to the mid 1800s. The table below shows significant events in the history of the missions, as well as major historical events that occurred during the period.
| Year | Mission |
Event
|
|---|---|---|
| 1519 | Hernán Cortés landed on the Gulf Coast of what is now Mexico | |
| 1521 | Spanish forces defeat the Aztec Empire | |
| 1524 | The first Spanish missions in Nueva España were established by Franciscan missionaries of the Catholic Church | |
| 1542-1543 | The Cabrillo Expedition, consisting of three ships, is the first European exploration of the California Coast. | |
| 1767 | King Carlos III of Spain expels the Jesuits from Spanish lands; the California missions (unlike earlier missions in other states) will be founded by the Franciscans | |
| 1769-1770 | The Portolá Expedition explores the Alto California coast | |
| 1769 | San Diego de Alcalá | Mission founded |
| 1770 | San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo |
Mission founded
|
| 1771 | San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo |
California mission headquarters moved to Carmel (through 1815)
|
| 1771 | San Antonio de Padua |
Mission founded
|
| 1771 | San Gabriel Arcángel |
Mission founded
|
| 1772 | San Luis Obispo de Tolosa |
Mission founded
|
| 1773 | San Antonio de Padua |
The first recorded marriage in California , between Margarita de Cortona (an Indian woman) and Juan María Ruiz (a Spanish soldier).
|
| 1774 | The first De Anza expedition establishes a land route to the San Francisco Bay. | |
| 1774 | San Diego de Alcalá | Mission relocated about 5 miles from its original site, to free the padres from the ‘unsavory’ influence of the soldiers at the Presidio. |
| 1775-1776 | The second De Anza expedition establishes the San Francisco Presidio and the first pueblo (at San Jose). | |
| 1776 | San Diego de Alcalá | Indian uprising at the mission. |
| 1776 | San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores) |
Mission founded
|
| 1776 | 13 American colonies declare independence from Great Britain. | |
| 1776 | San Juan Capistrano |
Mission founded
|
| 1777 | Santa Clara de Asís |
Mission founded
|
| 1777 |
The Pueblo of San José de Guadalupe is founded
|
|
| 1781 |
The Pueblo of Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula is founded
|
|
| 1782 | San Buenaventura |
Mission founded
|
| 1782 | Santa Barbara | El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara is founded |
| 1783 | American Revolutionary War ends; United States granted independence under the Treaty of Paris. | |
| 1786 | Santa Barbara |
Mission founded
|
| 1787 | La Purísima Concepción |
Mission founded
|
| 1787 | San Luis Obispo de Tolosa | Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia founded as a sub-mission. |
| 1791 | Santa Cruz |
Mission founded
|
| 1791 | Nuestra Señora de la Soledad |
Mission founded
|
| 1793 | Mission Nuestra Señora del Refugio | The last Spanish mission to be built in the state of Texas is founded. |
| 1797 |
The Pueblo of Villa de Branciforte is founded near modern-day Santa Cruz
|
|
| 1797 | San José |
Mission founded
|
| 1797 | San Juan Bautista |
Mission founded
|
| 1797 | San Miguel Arcángel |
Mission founded
|
| 1797 | San Fernando Rey de España |
Mission founded
|
| 1798 | San Luis Rey de Francia |
Mission founded
|
| 1804 | Santa Inés |
Mission founded
|
| 1806 | San Juan Capistrano |
The Great Stone Church, a magnificent cathedral, is completed. The cathedral is destined to stand just six years before being destroyed in an earthquake.
|
| 1810 | Mexican War of Independence begins. | |
| 1812 | San Juan Capistrano |
The Great Stone Church, constructed in 1806, is destroyed in an earthquake; 40 people are killed.
|
| 1812 | Russian settlement established at Fort Ross. | |
| 1815 | La Purísima Concepción |
California mission headquarters moved to La Purísima Concepción (through 1819)
|
| 1816 | San Luis Rey de Francia |
San Antonio de Pala Asistencia founded as a sub-mission.
|
| 1817 | San Rafael Arcángel |
Mission founded
|
| 1818 | San Diego de Alcalá | Santa Ysabel Asistencia founded as a sub-mission. |
| 1818 | San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo | The Monterey Presidio and the town of Monterey are attacked by French pirate Hipólito Bouchard. |
| 1818 | Santa Cruz | Mission raided and looted. |
| 1819 | San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo |
California mission headquarters moved to Carmel (through 1824)
|
| 1821 | Mexican independence from Spain granted under the terms of the Plan of Iguala. | |
| 1823 | San Francisco Solano |
Mission founded. This is the final California Mission, and the only mission founded after Mexico’s independence from Spain.
|
| 1823 | San Luis Rey de Francia | Las Flores Asistencia founded as a sub-mission. |
| 1824 | San José |
California mission headquarters moved to San José (through 1827)
|
| 1824 | La Purísima Concepción | Indian revolt, suppressed by soldiers from the Monterey Presidio. |
| 1827 | San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo | California mission headquarters moved to Carmel (through 1830) |
| 1830 | San Gabriel Arcángel | San Bernardino Asistencia founded as a sub-mission. |
| 1830 | San José | California mission headquarters moved to San José (through 1833) |
| 1833 | Santa Barbara | California mission headquarters moved to Santa Barbara (through 1846) |
| 1834 | Missions secularized by the Mexican government. | |
| 1839 | Sutter’s Fort established in Sacramento. | |
| 1841 | Russian Settlement at Fort Ross officially disbanded; the land is sold to John Sutter, whose subsequent discovery of gold in Sacramento triggered the California gold rush. | |
| 1846 | California Bear Flag Revolt against Mexican rule. | |
| 1846 | San Rafael Arcángel | Mission occupied by US General John C. Fremont, ending the California Bear Flag Revolt. |
| 1848 | John Sutter discovers gold, triggering the California gold rush. | |
| 1848 | Mexico formally cedes California to the United States, as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. | |
| 1850 | California becomes the 31st US state. | |
| 1851 | Santa Clara de Asís | Control of the mission is transferred to the Jesuits, to form the nucleus of a Santa Clara University (which continues to operate today). |
| 1893 | San Luis Rey de Francia | Franciscan novitiate is established at the mission; it later became San Luis Rey College. |
