Why were the missions in Alta (Upper) California established?
Along the Camino Real (King’s Highway) from San Diego to San Francisco and north to Sonoma in the last quarter of the 18th and first quarter of the 19th centuries, a chain of missions was founded a “stiff day’s march” (30 miles – the “march” was on horseback) apart from one another. These missions established Spain’s claim to Alta (Upper) California. This claim was urgent in the late 18th century, for although Spain had claimed this territory since the early 1500s, it was barely explored, there were no Spanish colonies or settlers there, and the Russian fur traders were rapidly proceeding down the California coast in search of sea otter. By 1812, the Russians established Fort Ross just 80 miles north of San Francisco Bay. Establishing missions seemed to be a quick way to colonize and hold the area for Spain. Eventually there were 21 missions in the chain along the Camino Real, which was similar to an earlier chain of 14 missions set up along the Baja California coast by the Jesuit prie
