White describes the turn-of-the-twentieth-century mythology that emerged around the romanticize of the old Spanish missions in California—especially Southern California—led by writers such as Charles Fletcher Slumming.

Discussion 3 – The Mission Myth
This discussion assignment asks you to reflect upon Part Two of the book California Exposures by Richard White.
For this and future discussions, you are encouraged to respond multiple times—indeed, you are required to do so if you wish to earn maximum points. This assignment is worth 15 possible points, and your contributions will be scored according to the following rubric:
up to 3 points for posting early to this discussion (3 for posting at least once prior to Thursday night, 2 for first posting something on Friday or Saturday, 1 for otherwise posting before the deadline)
up to 5 points for the overall quality of your initial post
up to 5 points for the overall quality of your subsequent posts, including responses to what your classmates have to say
up to 2 points for, at some point during the discussion, commenting on at least one of the photographs in the book and how the photos are used to further White’s thinking
Introduction
In Part Two (chapters 5–7), White describes the turn-of-the-twentieth-century mythology that emerged around the romanticization of the old Spanish missions in California—especially Southern California—led by writers such as Charles Fletcher Lummis.
Here are a few highlighted quotes:
“The mission myth would have been little more than nostalgia, a story of paradise lost, if it had not made Protestant Americans the unlikely successors of the Franciscans. … Modern Americans became the true successors of Spanish padres.” (40–41)
“The myth’s purpose was less about a past reality than a future one. It arose from a modern mixture of commerce, culture, and regional rivalry—in this case between Northern and Southern California. … Lummis sold something far grander: a vision of California that turned Spanish California into a template for a progressive American future.” (41)
“The mission myth created an ideological balance within California. Drake’s landing and the gold rush focused on Northern California, and for much of the nineteenth century, California meant San Francisco. In the twentieth century, California would mean Southern California, Lummis’s Mediterranean ‘Land of Sunshine.’” (46)
“Catholics welcomed Lummis’s celebration of the missions as an antidote to the ‘black legend’ that emphasized Spanish cruelty and persecution of the Indians. They created a white legend as unnuanced as the account it opposed.” (46)

Directions
This is another open-ended discussion assignment, following closely in format last week’s discussion.
Read Part Two of the book.
Post your initial summary and reaction to White’s discussion of the mission myth, highlighting one or more of his ideas that you find most compelling. Do not feel obligated to try to summarize all three of the chapters in Part Two. Instead, pick one of the quotes above, or perhaps take another quote you find interesting, and describe what you think White is trying to say. One or two thoughtful paragraphs would be sufficient for your initial response.
Engage your classmates in a reflective conversation. As you read and re-read more of the book, and also your classmates’ comments, add to your original ideas.
You will not be able to see your classmates’ posts until you have posted something yourself, nor will you be allowed to edit your responses. Your initial response is the most heavily weighted for your score, so spend some extra time in preparing it. But also realize that you are welcome to add to and otherwise change your thinking with subsequent posts.

Last Completed Projects