California Teacher Credentialing Examination (CSET) Practice Test

The significant outcome of the secularization of the mission system is that most mission property was privately owned. Secularization involved the transfer of control of the California missions from the Catholic Church to the state. As a result, the lands and resources that were once maintained by the missions were often distributed to private individuals or granted to settlers, leading to the emergence of private ownership. This transition marked a fundamental change in land use and management in California, as mission lands were no longer used solely for religious and educational purposes but began to play a role in the growth of private agriculture and settlements.

While some missions were abandoned and others repurposed, the widespread privatization of mission lands is a key aspect of the secularization's legacy. The other choices reflect different outcomes or implications of the mission system during or after the secularization process but do not capture the primary impact of the movement towards private ownership.