1. Location: The mission was located in a remote area, far from major settlements and supply routes. This made it difficult to transport goods and supplies to the mission, and also increased the risk of attacks by Native American groups.
2. Water scarcity: The mission was located in a semi-arid region, and water was scarce. This made it difficult to grow crops and sustain the mission's population.
3. Disease: The mission was frequently affected by epidemics of diseases such as smallpox and measles, which decimated the Native American population and made it difficult for the mission to maintain a labor force.
4. Native American resistance: The Native American groups in the area were initially resistant to the mission's efforts to convert them to Christianity and to impose Spanish control over their lands. This led to conflicts and uprisings, which further hindered the mission's progress.
5. Spanish mismanagement: The mission was often poorly managed by the Spanish authorities, who often appointed corrupt or incompetent administrators. This led to financial problems and mismanagement of resources, which further weakened the mission.
6. Secularization: In 1834, the Mexican government passed a law secularizing the missions in California, which meant that they were stripped of their lands and assets. This had a devastating impact on Mission San Miguel Arcangel, which lost its economic base and was eventually abandoned.
