Final answer:
The Mexican government awarded large grants of land predominantly to soldiers and settlers, not to California Indians. These grants were made through a system that favored political allies and those with connections to Mexican governors, leading to the establishment of ranchos across California. Over time, many original Mexican landowners lost their titles and properties, especially after American acquisition of the territory.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer the question regarding which group of people—the soldiers, settlers, or California Indians—were awarded large grants of land in California by the Mexican government, it is important to understand the context of land distribution practices of the time. During the Mexican era in California, large tracts of land were granted by corrupt and weak Mexican governors to political allies, family members, and friends, establishing a network of plantation-style ranchos. This process did not favor the California Indians, who had significantly less political power and were often displaced from their lands.
Mexican land grants were made predominantly to soldiers and settlers who were in the graces of the governing powers, creating a class of landowners who would eventually struggle to maintain their holdings in the face of American expansion and changing legal parameters. The Mexican government did not award land grants to California Indians; instead, their lands were taken without proper compensation and they eventually sought legal redress many years later, with limited success as evident in Indian Claims case number K-344.
After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the American acquisition of California, many Mexican landowners, or Californios, found their land titles declared 'imperfect', questioned, or outright voided, often leading to the loss of property and their status as landowners. This systematic disenfranchisement of Californios and the exclusion of California Indians from land grants paint a stark contrast to the land ownership distribution practices of the era.