Mission Vocabulary

You may come across some of

these words during your
research.

missions
Spanish

religious settlements where

Catholic priests taught the Native
California Indians Christianity and the
Spanish ways of life (growing crops,
raising livestock, etc.)

presidios
military

forts that were built to

protect the missions

father/padre/friar/fray/Fr./
missionary/Franciscan

Catholic priests
Franciscan:
member of a
religious group
founded by Saint
Francis of Assisi, an
important medieval
reformer of the
Catholic Church

materials
what

the mission is made of

adobe
a

brick made out of dried mud and

straw

dimensions
measurements

of the mission

recreation
fun

activities

neophytes

Native American
Indians who became
Christians, were
baptized by the
Spanish/Catholic
missionaries at the
missions, and joined
the mission
community

baptize
a

ceremony
performed when
someone is
accepted into the
Christian faith

convert
to

change religious beliefs

The neophytes converted to Christianity.

irrigation
the

transportation
of water from the
fresh water source
(river, stream,
lake, etc.) to
where it is needed
(missions, farms,
towns, etc.)

aqueduct
canal

used for transporting fresh

water to the missions

facade
the

front (or face) of the mission

quadrangle
a

courtyard, or square, in the center

of a mission and surrounded by
buildings on all four sides

campanario
a

bell wall or bell tower

granary
a

room to store grain

sacristy
a

room where religious equipment

and sacred clothing are stored
Mission Santa Cruz

quarters
a

bedroom

livestock
farm

animals (cattle, horses, pigs,

sheep, chickens, etc.)

secularization

the end of the church

rule of the Spanish
missions in California
The missions were
controlled by the Spanish
padres (Catholic priests).
After Mexico gained
independence from
Spain, the Mexican
government wanted to
be rid of any Spanish
influence in California, so
they closed the missions,
told the padres to return
to Spain, made the
mission land nonreligious, and gave the
valuable mission land to
Mexican citizens. The
mission land became
ranchos.

ranchos
a

large farm for raising cattle, horses,

or sheep