Women and the Conquest of California, 1542-1840

This book tells the hidden story of women during the missionization of California. It shows what it was like for women to live and work on that frontier--and how race, religion, age, and ethnicity shaped female experiences. It explores the suppression of women's experiences and cultural resistance to domination, and reveals the many codes of silence regarding the use of force at the missions, the treatment of women, indigenous ceremonies, sexuality, and dreams.