The BIG Picture Chapter 8

Fredonian Revolt An empresario named Haden Edwards was given permission to settle 800 families near Nacogdoches. When he got there people were already living on his land. Edwards required his settlers to have land titles but the Mexican Govt. said those already living there could stay without land titles. This made Edwards mad. So…

Fredonian Revolt… Haden Edwards, his brother Benjamin and settlers decided to revolt, or to go against, the Mexican govt. They declared Nacogdoches a Republic making it free and independent from Mexican rule. However, they got taken down quickly and the revolt collapsed.

Mier y Teran Investigates The Mexican govt. was worried that the U.S. was going to take TX from them, so they sent this guy Mier y Teran to TX to investigate. He reported to the Mex. govt. that there were 5 anglos (whites) for every 1 Mexican settler. He made it clear that if Mexico not act at once, Texas would be lost forever.

Law of April 6, 1830 Using Mier y Teran’s findings, Mexico issued a law that… 1.Stopped all incomplete empresario contracts. 2.Stopped all immigration from the U.S. into TX. 3.Abolished slavery. 4.Set up new forts. 5.Customs duties were placed on goods coming in from the U.S.

The Law of April 6, 1830 So, how do you think this effected the Texas colonists? How would you have reacted to this? What can you compare this law to in the U.S. or any other country?

Settler’s Protest at Anahuac John Davis Bradburn, a Mexican colonel, made the colonists pay their customs. The colonists, who thought Bradburn was stealing supplies from them, felt it was unfair and protested. The protests led to several Txns being arrested leading to a small skirmish.

Settler’s Protest at Anahuac… The colonists realized they needed more fire power so John Austin and a few others went to get a cannon. Bradburn agreed to release the 2 prisoners if the settlers retreated but some stayed and another skirmish took place.

Turtle Bayou Resolutions The colonists decided to adopt some resolutions in order to make peace with the Mexican govt. Here’s what they came up with… 1.They declared their loyalty to Mexico. 2.They denied they were rebelling against Mexico. 3.Said they were supporting a Mexican federalist named Santa Anna, who revolting against Centralist president Bustamante in Mexico. (Santa Anna supported the Constitution of 1824 written by Federalists)

So… Do you think these were true feelings by the Txn colonists? Why? Why did the colonists support Santa Anna and not Mexican President Bustamante, a Centralist?

Clash at Velasco As John Austin was going back to Anahuac with the cannon, he was stopped by a Mexican Colonel, Ugartachea. Ugartachea wanted Austin’s cannon and Austin refused to give it up. A fight erupted and Ugartachea was defeated and Austin was headed back to Anahuac. When John Austin got back to Anahuac, the two prisoners had already been released from jail.

Conventions of 1832 and 1833 At the convention of 1832, SFA was elected president of the convention. There were 2 major resolutions drafted. 1.TX be made a separate Mexican state. 2.Immigration from the U.S. be allowed again. For some reason, these resolutions were never presented to the Mexican govt. in Mexico City. At the 1833 convention, a constitution was prepared, but this time the resolutions were taken to Mexico City by SFA and two others.

Austin goes to prison While in Mexico City, SFA writes a letter to the authorities in San Antonio encouraging them to form their own govt. because Santa Anna had not honored his promises. The letter was intercepted by the Mexican’s and SFA was imprisoned. While in prison, the conditions in TX got worse and many people got malaria and cholera (diseases).

Consultation In August 1835 a consultation, a meeting, was held to discuss what the colonists needed to do. Two party’s emerged, the Peace Party and the War Party. The Peace Party wanted to settle things with the Mexican govt. peacefully and the War Party wanted to go to war with Mex.

Consultation… Santa Anna, who the colonists once supported, was becoming a dictator. Once SFA returned, he told the Texan colonists to “prepare for war.”

BIG Question! Suppose the Law of April 6, 1830 never was issued. 1.Do you think the colonists would have protested at Anahuac? 2.Do you think the clash at Velasco would have taken place? 3.Or, would SFA been sent to prison? 4.And do you think there would have been two conventions and a consultation?