True stories of the missions give a vivid picture of California’s early history. Tales of Indian raids, pirate attacks, courageous deeds, forbidden romance, stolen treasures, and more breathe life into any visit to a mission and any study of the mission era.

Sixteen stories are arranged in an order to present the history from the founding of the first mission in 1769 through the Spanish period, the Mexican period, and secularization and decline. As you listen, you will have a sense of what it was like to live in those times. This is no romanticized or politicized version of mission life, but glimpses into the struggles and triumphs of very real people.

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Features
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- Printed and audio versions of 16 stories that bring history to life.
- 70 minutes of listening entertainment and education
- Additional pages of fascinating facts about life in the missions and the mission era
- Updates of additional material
- Teacher’s guide for using stories for teaching history
- Descriptions and other info about each of the 21 missions
- Links to GPS maps to each mission
- Links to missions’ websites
- Except for maps and links, all downloadable; no Internet connection required

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Uses
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> For Travel: As you travel, listen to entertaining stories that make seeing and touring the missions more exciting and meaningful.

> For Teaching: Teacher’s guide suggests ways to use the stories and other information to help students understand and feel the lives and adventures of the 19th-century priests, soldiers, natives, and their visitors. Makes history fun!

> General: Stories give a comprehensive—broad yet detailed—picture of a fascinating period of history. Enlightening as well as entertaining.

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Contents
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- The Missions
- Beginning a Mission (San Diego, 1769)
- Beloved Padre (Santa Clara, 1794-1830)
- A Marriage at the Mission (San Antonio de Padua, 1773)
- Mission Martyr (San Diego, 1775)
- The Indian Girl Who Saved a Mission (Santa Inés)
- From Russia with Love (Dolores, 1806)
- Good and Bad Pirates (Santa Inés, 1818)
- The Town that Destroyed a Mission (Santa Cruz, 1818)
- Chumash Revolt (Santa Inés, La Purísima, Santa Barbara, 1824)
- The Indian Who Outsmarted Three Armies (San Jose, 1829)
- The Battle Nobody Won (Santa Barbara, 1829)
- The Island Woman (Santa Barbara, 1835-1853)
- Farewell to San Luis Rey (1832)
- Murder at the Mission (San Miguel, 1848)
- The Last Mexican Governor (1846)