Final answer:
The natives who adopted mission life faced cultural erosion, forced assimilation, and economic hardship as a result of the missionaries' efforts to convert them to Catholicism, the imposition of new social systems, and the restructuring of their lives on reservations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The natives who adopted mission life endured significant hardships and disruptions to their traditional ways of life. The Franciscan missionaries sought to convert the Pueblo to Catholicism, leading to a decline in traditional beliefs and practices as they were pressured to entirely discard their old ways. This imposition sparked profound cultural changes and led to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, where natives momentarily regained autonomy before Spanish control was reestablished.
In California, the imposition of new gender roles and economic systems by the missions greatly impacted the cultural health and economic viability of the native populations. Additionally, the missionaries' intervention in personal practices, such as discouraging polygamy and ancestor veneration, often led to social ostracization and economic destitution for those who conformed to the new Christian standards.
When Native Americans were confined to reservations, their traditional lifestyles and economic systems were further disrupted. They frequently became dependent on the Bureau of Indian Affairs for support. Efforts to assimilate Native Americans into Euro-American life included relocations, imposing boarding school education on children to force them to abandon their languages and cultural practices, and converting them to Christianity.