Junipero Serra: California's Founding Father “Junipero Serra: California's Founding Father” Written by Steven W. The author who named Steven W. Hackel did an excellent job in pulling together primary sources. This book talks about Junipero Serra is an ambitious Franciscan and colonialist who plays an important role in making great contributions in California’s history. He expected to convert California Indians to Catholicism and let them become European-style farmers. In his long-term efforts, he finally extended north Spanish , and then he found missions in San Diego, Los Angeles, Monterey, and San Francisco. Developing the Western regions of North America, the author doesn't ignore the dark side about Serra. California’s military and Indians usually disapprove of his efforts. Serra succeeds by his ambition. He was an administrator and a seeker of church power. Hackel's work made readers realize the full story behind the San Diego in 1775, Serra pushed those soldiers, it made San Diego assailable to the attack. …show more content…
For example, in this book, the author writes: "By... the early 1830's, more than 80,000 Indians had been baptized between San Diego and north of San Francisco, but almost 60,000 had been buried, nearly 25,000 of whom were children under the age of 10..." (p. 239-240). There are several questions that we maybe thinking about it and want to discuss it. What is the motivation when he established his missions in California? Would that have happened anyway? After reading this book, we maybe consider the following conditions, based on his religion, he spends his childhood in