T HE A USTIN ’ S IN T EXAS The colonization of Texas

M OSES A USTIN In 1798 Austin moved to Missouri and mined gold In 1803 he was part owner of a major bank

H IS DREAM After the Panic of 1812 he lost everything and had to make money Hoping to become wealthy, Moses was the first to get permission to bring U.S. settlers into Texas.

R EJECTION Austin and his slave Richmond crossed into Texas on foot and admired the beautiful land and fertile soil Austin reached San Antonio and the governor ordered him out of the city

APPROVAL On his way out Austin met Baron de Bastrop, a Dutch businessman living in San Antonio The Baron helped Austin write his colonization request. Their request was approved and Austin and Richmond headed back to Missouri, he got approved to settle 300 Catholic families

F ATHER ’ S LEGACY Moses Austin becomes sick and died. He asked his son, Stephen F. Austin to carry on his dream. Stephen Austin heads to San Antonio. Stephen F. Austin needed a new contract or land title. He sent his request to Mexico and explored the land. He goes back to the U.S. to make final preparations and to recruit colonists.

S ETTLERS ARRIVE Most colonists will come from the southern U.S. It was attractive to them because in the U.S. land prices were high and money scarce. Settlers would have to convert to Catholicism. His colony included easy land payments After a long journey his settlers arrived at the colony but Austin had to go back to Mexico City to reconfirm his contract. He had to travel 1,000 miles to do this.

PROBLEMS The Imperial Colonization Law made Austin’s land grants secure and he could continue to bring settlers into Texas. He also received power to form a militia for his colony. He now headed back to Texas When he returned the settlers were unhappy and had trouble with the local Indians.

F ATHER OF T EXAS Finally in 1824, Austin had fulfilled his contract of 300 families, they were called the “ Old Three Hundred”. The capital of his colony became San Felipe de Austin and the city grew quickly Stephen F. Austin is known as the Father of Texas.