By 1822, 50 years after the Spanish arrived, the Chumash had suffered great losses.  Before Europeans, their lands stretched from the coast to the Sierra's and from the Conejo Valley to past San Luis Obispo.  Their numbers once were in the hundreds of thousands.  Now their numbers were in the 10's of thousands.

Poor mission living conditions, no relations were permitted between males and females, Chumash women were not permitted to have or bare children, and disease decimated these people.  Their leadership was gone.  Rancheros consumed their lands.

Without the slave force, missions began to struggle.  In 1834, the Mexican government had taken control of the missions and Chumash lands.  Rancheros suffered, as well, since they had never done the work themselves.  The industry that the Chumash created for the settlers was now gone and had to be imported.

Many Chumash tried to return to their islands, but found them lain waste.  Some Chumash moved inward, joining with Yokuts and other tribes.  They continued to rebel against the Mexican settlements.

By 1845, the Chumash and Californian Native peoples' numbers had grown again.  Many Chumash had regrouped.  Against great adversity, they were true survivors.  It was believed that they would actually regain California for themselves.  The Mexican government was ready to pull out.  But, in 1849, Sutter's Mine discovered "Gold".  And the Gold Rush changed the world, again. 

The instantaneous rush of Americans and other outsiders had a detrimental effect.  Within two years, 50,000 Californian Natives died from being exploited as diggers for gold or were simply murdered.

The few surviving Chumash People were dispersed and most found work on ranches.  There was no return to their lands.  And, there were virtually no Chumash children.  These noble people reclaimed as much of the past as possible.  They learned basket weaving, Tomol building, and pottery to preserve the heritage.  Much of this knowledge and wisdom was lost to their decedents.