Ch. 8 Texas on the Mexican Frontier

Section 1: New Policies Toward Texas The creation of independent Mexico in 1821 marked the beginning of the Mexican National period in Texas. Government created new policies in Texas Goal: attract new settlers Texas was vital as a buffer zone against attacks by the United States or American Indians: Territories on the Mexican frontier: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California To increase the Texas population Mexican citizens were encouraged to move to Texas but they were fearful of harsh frontier and Indian attacks Offered land to American farmers (Anglos) through empresario system

Purpose: wanted to reinforce their claim to the northern parts of New Spain (the French) and to make Indians into Spanish subjects Method: built missions, presidios, ranches, and towns Spanish Purpose: wanted to defend Mexico from attack Method: tried to attract settlers (and from other countries) to Texas by offering cheap land Mexican Purpose: wanted to profit from living in Texas; tried to drive Indians out of TX Method: businessmen created settlements of farms, ranches, and ports (to ship goods to U.S.) Anglo

Section 2: The Austins Come to Texas Prior to Mexican Independence: Austin came in 1820 Section 2: The Austins Come to Texas What helped Spanish officials approve Austin’s Colony? knew Austin had been a loyal Spanish subject before hoped colony would improve the Texas economy and help protect the region from American Indian attacks and U.S. invasions  Why Moses Austin Wanted to Start a Colony in Texas had suffered financial ruin had profited before by moving to Spanish Missouri hoped to regain wealth by collecting fees from U.S. settlers  1. Who helped Moses Austin convince Spanish Governor in Texas to propose the plan Spanish officials in Mexico City? Baron de Bastrop   Who was the Spanish Governor in Texas in the early 1820’s? Antonio Martinez Governor Martinez hesitated at first to approve Moses Austin’s plan. He thought it was an excuse for Americans to grab land in Texas.

Shortly after Moses Austin learned that Spain had approved his request for a colony, he dies from pneumonia.

Requirements to live in Austin’s Colony Stephen F. Austin’s Colony Location: Between Brazos and Colorado Rivers Size: 11 million acres Cost (to settlers): 12.5¢ per acre Advertised in: New Orleans (newspapers) Land Policy: Each male could purchase up to 640 acres For Wife = up to 320 additional acres Per Child = up to 160 additional acres Per Slave = up to 80 additional acres Requirements to live in Austin’s Colony A. Settlers had to become citizens of Spain/Mexico B. take an oath of allegiance to the Spanish/Mexican government, C. become Roman Catholic, D. to be of good moral character. Settled 150 families prior to Mexican independence

Why did he pick this area? Colony had mild weather, fertile soil, water, plenty of timber, wild game, and a port near the coast so settlers and supplies could arrive by ship. 1821 Original Settlement Approximately 150 settlers Food & supplies scarce SFA travels to San Antonio to make a report to Governor Martinez. When he arrives in San Antonio, he learns that Mexico has won independence from Spain. March 1822, SFA traveled to Mexico City to convince the new Mexican leaders to approve his continuing the colony.

January 1823: Imperial Colonization Law Austin’s land grant was secure and he could continue to bring in settlers from the U.S. Farming families could buy 177 acres Ranching families could buy 4,428 acres Single men could buy 1/3 of these amounts Most settlers claimed to be both farmers and ranchers. Why? Settlers exempt from paying taxes for 6 years. Austin would receive 100,000 acres after settling 300 families. Austin could form a local government and act as judge. He could also form a militia. Only empresario to operate under Imperial Colonization Law Ruler Augustin de Iturbide lost power and new government made different plans for settlement. Austin was allowed to maintain his colony under the old law.

Chapter 8, Section 3: The Austin Colonies When Austin returned to Texas, he found problems in his colony: Settlers were discouraged, Several families returned to the United States, Drought had ruined the colony’s first crops, Low on food, American Indians raided the colony.   Fall of 1824, Austin fulfilled his contract and had 297 families in his colony. These settlers were called the Old Three Hundred. Jane Long (widow of James Long) moved to TX and was a member of Old 300!

Empresario: Stephen F. Austin 5 Contracts *Most Successful Empresario* Father of Texas

Location of Colony, Important Towns, & Number of Families Colony located between the Brazos & Colorado from the coast northward into TX—300 families—Capital: San Felipe de Austin 500 more families in original colony 100 families east of Colorado River and north of the San Antonio Road. Capital (headquarters) was Bastrop & called “Little Colony” 300 families in 10-league zone along the coast Settled 800 families in a large area north and northwest of Austin’s original colony

Nationality of Settlers Anglo-American Families SFA settled approximately 2,000 families

Empresario: Green DeWitt 2nd Most Successful Empresario

Location of Colony, Important Towns, & Number of Families Colony located west of Austin’s original colony & south of the San Antonio Road Authorized to settle 400 families in Texas (166 titles issued) Capital (or headquarters): Gonzales

Nationality of Settlers Anglo-American Families

Successful Mexican Empresario Martin de León Successful Mexican Empresario

Location of Colony, Important Towns, & Number of Families Colony located along the Guadalupe River near the coast Settled between 100 and 200 families in Texas Founded the town of Victoria, which Martin and (his wife) Patricia, named after the first president of the Republic of Mexico

Nationality of Settlers Mexican Families

Coahuila y Texas: One Mexican State Capital: Saltillo

Section 4: Empresarios and Tejanos Federal Constitution of 1824 (Federalists believed in sharing power with the state governments) Mexicans formed a republic, and they divided Mexico into 19 states and 5 territories. Texas was joined with Coahuila as one state. Capital was in Saltillo State Colonization Law of 1825 Empresarios received 67,000 acres of land for every 200 families settled, Head of household could buy 4,428 acres of land for pennies an acre, new settlers would not pay taxes for 10 years new settlers required to become Catholics, Mexican citizens, and of good moral character National Colonization Law of 1824 Allowed each Mexican state to set its own colonization policies,  restricted Anglo immigrants from establishing colonies near the borders of the coast Effects on Settlement in Texas huge wave of immigration, particularly Anglo immigration several new colonies established  soon Anglos outnumbered Tejanos 3 to 1