Pueblos
One of the most pressing problems in the early days of Spanish California was obtaining a sufficient food supply for the soldiers at the presidios. Government officials attempted to solve this problem by founding civilian towns, or pueblos, in northern and southern California.
To attract settlers to the new towns, the government provided free land, livestock, farming equipment, and an annual allowance for the purchase of clothing and other supplies. In addition, the settlers were exempt from all taxes for five years. In return for this aid, the settlers were required to sell their surplus agricultural products to the presidios.
The first city to be established was San José, founded in 1777. It was followed in 1781 by El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula, also known as Los Angeles. African-American founding families made up more than half of the original settlers of Los Angeles. The third civic community, Villa de Branciforte, was founded in 1797 near the present-day city of Santa Cruz. The local government of the pueblos consisted of an alcalde or mayor and a city council known as the ayuntamiento.