Ch. 9 Causes of the Texas Revolution

Terminology: Texan or Texian, and Tejano? Americans who moved to Texas called themselves Texians. Like Mexican except in Texas. After Texas joined the United States in 1845 a flood of new American immigrants came to Texas and these Americans preferred Texan (Like American) and that term eventually replaced Texian Tejanos are Mexican-Texan (born in Texas) or hispanic Texans

An Attempt to Purchase Texas President of the United States John Quincy Adams of the United States offered to buy Texas from Mexico for $1 million. Mexico was offended that anyone would think they would want to sell part of their own country and was now concerned about losing Texas to the US. President John Quincy Adams

Haden Edwards In 1825 Haden Edwards received an empresario grant in east Texas near the U.S. border. (Louisiana) He found that there were many people already living on the land including squatters. A squatter is someone who settles on land without title or the right to do so.

Edwards was angry about the people on the land his grants posted notices saying that people need to produce legal documents for their land or they had to leave. They could stay on their land if they paid Edwards a fee. Some settlers like the Mexicans who came with Antonio Gil Y’Barbo had lived there since the 1780’s but had no documents and could not afford to pay Edwards. The settlers wrote the Mexican government and were told they could stay on the land. Then after interfering with a local election the Mexican Governor took away Edwards Empresario land grant. S.F. Austin wrote Edwards: “You despise the class of people who were now settlers in the country, and only wanted rich men, and would drive away the poor devils who has been the first to settle, unless they paid your price”

The Fredonian Rebellion In December of 1826 Edwards, angry at the Mexican Government for taking away their land grants, recruited some soldiers and captured the Old Stone Fort in Nacogdoches. They claimed Nacogdoches and the surrounding area was independent and was now a new country, The Republic of Fredonia. The Republic of Fredonia Flag The Old Stone Fort in Nacogdoches

Stephen F. Austin was upset by Edwards’ actions. He wrote Edwards and criticized him for his actions “The affair will be highly injurious (hurtful) to the future prospects of emigration, and of general detriment (damage) to the whole country. The subject has caused me great unhappiness” 1826 In early 1827 Mexican soldiers and militia from Austin’s Colony arrived and Edwards gave up and fled to Louisiana. The Fredonian Rebellion confirmed the fears of Mexican officials that Americans were trying to take Texas.

The Mier y Teran Report After the Fredonian Rebellion, Mexico sent General Manuel Mier y Teran to investigate Texas When he returned to Mexico he said there were too many Americans in Texas. He said that Texas was more like the US than Mexico. Finally he said if something was not done that Mexico would lose Texas. Manuel Mier y Teran

An American Nationalist Mier y Teran Report Reaction After the Mier y Teran Report many nationalists in Mexico thought that the Americans in Texas were dangerous for Mexico. The Mexicans passed the law of April 6th, 1830 as a reaction to Teran’s Report. It followed a lot of the advice Teran gave A Nationalist is a person devoted to the national interest of their country An American Nationalist

The Law of April 6, 1830 Mexico passed the law to control American-Texan colonists. 1. Outlawed immigration from the US No more Americans could come to TX 2. Canceled all Empresario contracts that were not fulfilled. Empresarios lost the right to bring Americans into TX 3. Encouraged Mexican and European settlement of Texas Balance out the Americans living in TX 4. Slaves could not be brought to Texas Texians thought this would hurt the cotton industry and the economy of TX 5. Customs duties (Taxes on imported goods) were placed on goods from the U.S. Caused the price of American goods to go up in TX

Texian Reaction This law upset Texians!!! Their friends and relatives could not move to Texas. They also thought that the law would hurt the Texas economy because of its slavery provision. Texans thought that under the Mexican Constitution of 1824, the state should have passed this kind of law not the national government. (States Rights)

Turtle Bayou Resolutions After Mexican officials tried to enforce the April 6th law a group of Texans revolted in what is known as the “Disturbances of Anahuac.” Near modern day Houston they wrote a list of complaints against the Mexican Government know as the “Turtle Bayou Resolutions.” Look carefully and you can see the Texians numbered their complaints.

Turtle Bayou Resolutions The Texians chief complaint was the Centralist Mexican government was interfering with their lives and were violating the Mexican Constitution of 1824 (Complaints included tariffs on goods and harboring runaway slaves) -Centralist: All power goes to the central Mexico city based government. The Texians pledged their allegiance to the Federalist including Mexican General Santa Anna who was fighting against the Centralist. -Federalist: Power should go to the states not the central government

The Texians call a convention Santa Anna took power in Mexico city in 1833. The Federalist side was now in power. In 1833 Texians held a convention in San Felipe and drafted a resolution to separate Texas from Coahuila. They elected Stephen F. Austin to take the resolution to Mexico City. The Texians believed that President Santa Anna would be on their side and give them SELF-GOVERNMENT!!!! Self-Governmen: The right to rule for people to rule themselves A Grievance is a problem you have with someone

Austin travels to Mexico City When Austin arrived in Mexico City he found a chaotic scene. Santa Anna was now president but had stepped aside to recover and rest from a “health problem” and let V.P. Valentin Gomez Farias run the country. There was also a huge outbreak of cholera and an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people died. Austin waited weeks to speak with the government and finally grew inpatient. He wrote a letter back to Texas telling the convention they should arrange for a state government, with or without Mexico’s approval.

Austin thrown in Jail Austin finally meet with President Santa Anna who agreed to lift some restrictions of the law of April 6th but did not agree that Texas should be its own Mexican state. Meanwhile Austin’s letter about separate statehood had been intercepted by the Mexican government. When Santa Anna found out he had Austin arrested and thrown in jail in Mexico city, with no trial or bail.

Santa Anna Changes Centralist Dictator The President of Mexico soon became more and more of a Centralist. Giving all the government power to the Central Government and himself. Rebellions in Mexico once again started and Santa Anna brutally crushed them. Any rebellion in Texas would be harshly dealt with… Federalist Hero

Back in Texas…War or Peace? After Austin’s arrest Texians became divided into two parties a “War Party” and a “Peace Party” War Party: Wanted to fight for Independence from Mexico Peace Party: Wanted diplomatic solution to problems with Mexico

Create a bubble charts Create a bubble chart over the causes of the Texas Revolution. Use your notes! Cause #2 Cause #1 Reasons Mexico fought the Texas Settlers Reasons Texans rebelled against Mexico Cause #3 Cause #1 Cause #4

Create a bubble chart Law of April 6th restricted the rights of Texians Texans wanted Self-Government and state’s rights Reasons Texans rebelled against Mexico Reasons Mexico fought the Texas Settlers Stephen F. Austin arrested Mexico believed Americans were stealing their land Santa Anna became a dictator