Department of History

My research interests revolve around the interactions between Spanish settlers and Native Americans in California during the 18th and 19th centuries, with a strong emphasis on the histories of Native American women. I intend to focus primarily on how gender roles and gendered expectations impacted the operations of the California Mission System. By researching this era of California history through the lens of Women’s History and gender and sexuality, I hope to gain a greater understanding of the myriad ways in which Native Americans responded to, rationalized, and resisted the cultural and physical demands placed upon them by Spanish settlers.