Spanish missions were religious and military institutions established by the Spanish Empire in colonial-era California. They served as centers for converting indigenous people to Christianity and facilitating colonization.
Related terms
Indigenous population: The native people who already lived in California before the arrival of the Spanish.
Colonization: The process of establishing control over a territory and its people, often involving migration and settlement from an outside power.
Conversion: The act of changing one's beliefs or religion, in this case, referring to indigenous people adopting Christianity.