The Jesuit Missions 1683 - 1767.

In 1773, the Dominicans came in and they lasted til 1828.

According to a census taken by a government official in 1810 only 2300 Indians remained on the entire peninsula. In Mulegé the indigenous population was estimated at 300 in 1745 and by 1800 was down to 90. In Europe King Fernando VII was forced to relinquish the throne to Jose Bonaparte and the Spanish empire in the Americas collapsed. With the expulsion of the Spanish from Mexico the liberal republicans assumed power. In addition to being anti-clerical they also wanted to remove any traces of colonialism such as were the missions. Under these circumstances the Dominicans refused to swear allegiance to the Mexican government. That, combined with the previously mentioned conditions, pushed them to abandon the missions in 1828. In 1833 the new government decided to secularize the missins and placed a salaried priest in each.

Infromation taken from the pamphlet we purchased at Mulegé.