| Summary: | The Mission Santa Clara Manuscript Collection also includes Antonio María Osio’s history of Alta California, a valuable manuscript written in 1851 as requested by the Franciscan Father Suárez del Real from Mission Santa Clara. Osio was a government official, civil servant and landowner in Alta California; his narrative is significant because it constitutes the first written history of Alta California during the era of Mexican rule. Osio’s history of Alta California addresses various matters: the challenges of political life in Mexican California, Native American uprisings, the secularization of the missions, the Bear Flag revolt and the U.S. invasion of Alta California. In his narrative Osio considers that the missions had been ineffective in the evangelization of the Indians and the administration of the land; he strongly opposes the U.S. invasion of Mexican California as well. Osio also provides detailed descriptions of other elements of Alta California’s society and culture such as European and Native American dances, and the presence in San Francisco Bay of Kodiak Aleuts from Alaska who in their sealskin canoes skillfully hunted otters.
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