| From Classbrain.com San Gabriel Arcangel
Like most California missions, the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel supported itself and the Native inhabitants of the area by growing crops of wheat and corn. They also raised herds of horses and cattle, and cultivated grapes in a vineyard. The mission maintained an economy that was based heavily on crops such as corn and beans. It also produced many fine wines, soaps, and candles. The majority of soap and candles used at other missions, in fact, were produced at Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. While the mission eventually gained financial success, it was not a simple endeavor. The missionaries discovered upon their arrival at San Gabriel that the Native Americans in the area were hostile to the invaders of their land. They refused to help with the growth of the mission, and were aggressive toward the Spaniards. Eventually, however, the founders of the missions gained the respect and cooperation of the Indians. The economic success of Mission San Gabriel Arcangel was due in a large part to the help of the local inhabitants. The mission still displays the importance of the local Indians through the preservation of the Native American burial ground. This is one of the largest burial grounds of its kind, with more than 6,000 Indians buried. In this way, the legacy of the first Americans on this land is preserved.
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