The Spanish likely felt it was important to train the natives of California for a European colonial society for several reasons:
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Cultural Assimilation: Training the natives would help to assimilate them into European cultural norms and practices, making it easier for the Spanish to establish control and influence over the region.
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Labor and Economy: By educating and training the indigenous people, the Spanish could integrate them into the colonial economy. This would enable the development of agricultural and craft industries that aligned with European economic practices.
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Religious Conversion: The Spanish aimed to convert the natives to Christianity, particularly Catholicism. Training often included religious education, which served to reinforce Spanish authority and missionization efforts.
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Political Stability: A trained and acculturated native population would be less likely to resist Spanish rule and more likely to collaborate, leading to greater political stability in the region.
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Military Resource: Trained natives could also serve as military allies or support in conflicts, contributing to the defense and expansion of Spanish territories.
Overall, training the natives was a strategy to facilitate smoother integration into the colonial framework, ensuring the sustainability and governance of Spanish territories in California.