Baja California Land of Missions

by David Kier

This book contains a detailed history of the activities by the Spanish and others attempting to colonize the peninsula of California from 1535 to 1855. Over 125 photographs, maps, and drawings, provide the reader with a view of the actions of the Spanish Empire using missions to colonize California. The author's research resulted in new discoveries and facts which are included in this look at the history and the present conditions of the twenty-seven peninsula missions; many relocated to multiple sites. The nearly 200 missionaries who served in Baja California between 1683 and 1855 are also named. This book covers the period from the discovery of California in the 1530s through the establishment of all twenty-seven missions in Baja California to when the last missionaries left in 1855.

227 pages, Paperback

Published May 10, 2016

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to get this book and read and teach the history of the Baja Missions to my family. As a homeschooling mother, I love getting off the map information to enrich and educate my kids about a place we love more than anywhere, Baja. However. This book is horribly disappointing.

It's a slapdash, self-published bunch of "facts," combined with badly taken and edited photographs. There's no real discussion about anything worth noting. I understand wanting to come from an unbiased stance, but let's be real. The missionaries were biased, and their views are presented here from a white-washed pov, which, I guess is what we do these days.

Are the missions an important part of history? Absolutely! We need to understand why these things happened and what impact they had on our present world. This book lacks in all of that.

A Google search of Baja Missions gives more definitive information that spending over $25 on this badly compiled "book."

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

lots of information about the history of the missions and their purpose in colonizing this area of the US. this is the kind of book you read a bit at a time at least for me.