Women and the conquest of California, 1542-1840
Subtitle: codes of silence
By: Virginia Marie Bouvier.
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Published: 2001
Place of publication: Tucson
Language: eng
Number of pages: 266
Subjects: Women pioneers -- California -- History.; Women pioneers -- California -- Social conditions.; Indians of North America -- California -- History.; Indians of North America -- California -- Social conditions.; Frontier and pioneer life -- California.; Women -- California -- History.; Women -- California -- Social conditions.; Sex role -- California -- History.; Missions -- California -- History.; California -- History -- To 1846.
Description: "Studies of the Spanish conquest in the Americas traditionally have explained European-Indian encounters in terms of such factors as geography, timing, and the charisma of individual conquistadores. Yet by reconsidering this history from the perspective of gender roles and relations, we see that gender ideology was a key ingredient in the glue that held the conquest together and in turn shaped indigenous behavior toward the conquerors.".

"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."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [229]-258) and index.
Table of contents: title: Mythic beginnings; title: Exploration; title: Evangelization; title: Colonization; title: The missions; title: Sexuality and marriage; title: Resistance; title: Partial truths.