The journal tells about a significant event in the history of the United States about the organization and conduct of an expedition to the state of California by the French and Spaniards. The author describes in detail all forwarders’ principal activities and goals in the city of Monterey. The interaction of the arrived people with the locals and their culture makes up a significant part of the records and is of particular interest to scientists. Therefore, it is essential to understand what critical thoughts the author of the magazine expressed about the missions of the Spaniards, as well as what positive points were highlighted.
The failed position of the Spanish delegation stemmed from many interrelated factors, one of which can be called cultural differences. Jean François La Pérouse points out as the first weakness of the missions that the culture of the arriving freight forwarders was not suitable for competent communication with the local people (La Pérouse et al. 14). Obedience to the new authorities and constant prayers were among the innovations that became a stumbling block for establishing the right contact. Thus, the Spaniards did not achieve any of the goals of the new rules and set up the local population negatively towards themselves. This could not affect the managers who tried to establish their own rules. The morale of the team deteriorated significantly, and therefore it was difficult to draw up a plan for further action.
In addition to the rejection of the rules, another mission that the author of the magazine criticized was the difference in economic relations. Local natives had simpler systems that allowed them to exchange the necessary goods and food directly. In addition, social interactions were more harmonious and better organized. Spiritual practices and religion also played a prominent role in that society (La PĂ©rouse et al. 25). The Europeans then tried to impose their standards, which were utterly alien to the Indians. Spiritual aspects had a particular influence on both the Spaniards and the natives. However, because of their diversity, they could not realize that the Indians live as their ancestors lived many years before and interference with their religion could harm everyone (La PĂ©rouse et al. 27). Neglecting the spiritual aspects of the life of the local people was another mistake that alienated the peoples even more.
Culture is an essential element in the formation of any society. In turn, what affects it can be even more significant. The languages spoken by people from the delegation and the locals differed. Not taking into account this factor, the author described it as another serious omission that could not be avoided. Monterey was home to several different cultural groups who spoke different languages. Such significant differences among representatives of local groups provided additional difficulties in managing them. The tremendous linguistic diversity was the most significant obstacle since it did not allow the coordination of the actions of the Indians and the Spaniards (La PĂ©rouse et al. 22). Thus, due to the language barrier, the delegation could neither share any critical information with the Indians nor receive it from them.
The author’s following criticism relates to the fact that the expeditions were not thought out in terms of supply. Thus they had a constant need for clean water and food that was difficult to delivery (La PĂ©rouse et al. 26). The arrival of ships with provisions took quite a long time since Monterey was located at one of the most remote points of the empire. In addition to this, the forwarders never knew for sure whether the ships would be able to reach the colony usually and in full force, as they could stumble upon multiple troubles along the way.
Nevertheless, despite all the failed moments described, Jean François La Pérouse highlighted some of the positive aspects of the mission. In his opinion, the Spaniards were able to interest the Indians with their goods (La Pérouse et al. 27). The exchange of various things such as weapons, jewelry, or elementary household items brought forwarders a significant profit. The Indians could offer precious stones, gold, and silver in return, so trade benefited the empire. Having shown the Indians some of the discoveries of European civilization, the Spaniards significantly improved the daily life of local tribes, which is a positive factor. Based on social benefits for themselves and the Indians, forwarders could build more trusting relationships with the local people and strengthen their position in Monterey. This could be why the Indians would benefit from such cooperation.
Critics may have an advantage in the debate over defenders, as the magazine’s author has made much more of an argument for mission failures. The defending parties do not have enough reason to reflect all the negative arguments and, as a result, are defeated in the debate. Modern defenders and critics of the journal face the difficulty that the original source cannot fully convey the exact positive aspects of the expedition, as the author focuses on criticism. Thus, justifying the mission of the Spaniards, many scientists stumble upon the lack of information on this topic. The positive judgment of the author about the priests and their goals can be considered reliable and accurate.
During their expedition, the Spaniards faced numerous obstacles that prevented them from fully establishing relations with the locals. Differences in culture, poor supplies, and language differences became important critical aspects of the mission. All these factors led to the fact that the expeditions were a failure and did not bring benefits. However, among the positive aspects, one can single out the fact that people who arrived in Monterey could improve the lives of residents by exchanging valuable things. The effectiveness of such a trip could be much higher if the freight forwarders had better studied the characteristics of the local peoples and did not try to impose their own rules.
Work Cited
La Pérouse, Jean-François de Galaup and Margolin, Malcolm. Life in a California Mission: Monterey in 1786. Heyday, 2018.