The Franciscans changed the face of California by building the missions.
Prior to the arrival of Spanish priests in 1769, native Californian Indians lived off the land as hunter gatherers. The Franciscan priests changed the face of California by building 21 missions stretching from Sonoma to San Diego, where they taught religion and culture and built communities. They also built a road system connecting the missions and introduced business to the region. They were also responsible for introducing agronomy to California and starting what is now its world-famous citrus industry.
Economy
As an extension of Spain, the missions were integral to the major expansion of the world economy. They introduced agriculture and cattle raising and developed an export business in items such as sea otter pelts, hemp, animal fats, animal hides and other cattle products. While the missions were mainly self-sustaining, they regularly imported manufactured goods and raw materials such as furniture and building supplies.
Building
The immigrants introduced the building process by constructing homes, aqueducts and roads. For example, the Indians at San Buenaventura Mission built a seven-mile aqueduct to bring water to the mission from the mountains. This provided irrigation for exotic crops such as bananas, figs, coconuts, sugar cane, herbs and vegetables. Simple straw and reed huts gave way to adobe brick homes and structures, and roads improved communications and trading opportunities.
Communications
El Camino Real (the Royal Road) is the 600-mile California Mission Trail, which stretches from Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma in the north to Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala in San Diego in the south. The road connected the 21 missions, presidios, pueblos and other outposts and supporting sites, and ensured that visitors and traders were never more than a day's ride from a mission. The road also facilitated ease of trade and communications.
Agronomy
The Spanish missionaries were the first to practice agronomy in California and introduced many fruits to California, such as oranges, grapes, apples, pears and figs. Father Junipero Serra was the first to start cultivation by growing tobacco plants in the gardens of Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo. The missionaries grew grapes to produce wine for sacramental purposes and trading. The first winery came about when the Criolla, which would become known as the Mission grape, was first planted at Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1779. Four years later, the first wines were produced. California's citrus industry began at Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, where the first large orchard was planted in 1804. However, it took more than 30 years for the commercial potential of citrus to be truly recognized. Olives were first grown at Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, where they produced olive oil for trading.
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