Texas and the Southwest Edited: Jan 2015

Life in Northern New Spain Mid 1800s Settlers lived in small villages across New Mexico that were influenced by Pueblo Native Americans California society was centered around the missions (Californios)

Early Texas Texas Missions weaker than California Missions because they were located far apart and few Spanish settlers moved to Texas during 1700s Tejanos- spanish settlers who introduced new breeds of cattle and created a ranching society

Mexico gains Independence September 1810 about 80,000 poor American Indians and Mestizos in Mexico joined a revolt against Spanish rule The revolt was led by Father Miguel Hidalgo Costilla They hoped that independence would improve their living conditions 1811 Spanish defeated these hopes and killed Father Miguel Hidalgo Costilla

…continued Fight Mexico won its independence in 1821 A new congress create the Constitution of 1824, which made Mexico a republic The country included what is now AZ, CA, NV, NM, TX, UT. Also contained parts of CO, KS, OK, WY

Change in CA and TX In 1833, Mexico ended the Spanish mission system in CA and gave the lands to Californios After Mexico’s war for independence the fighting had killed or chased away many Tejanos. Mexican officials worried that so few people could not protect all of Texans Government recruited more settlers to Texas

American Settlers in Texas Mexican Republic wanted to attract more people to TX so hired Empresarios to bring settlers to TX. For every 200 families brought in the the empresarios received as much as 67,000 acres The promise of cheap or free land attracted most of these families

Move to Texas Travelers etched GTT into their old homes “GONE TO TEXAS” Each man could receive 640 acres, with additional land for his wife and each child Other grants offered about 4600 acres of free land to every married man

Trouble in Texas Mexican Government wanted Americans to help them settle and develop land but – Settlers had to become Mexican citizens – Obey Mexican laws – Support Roman Catholic Church Policies that caused Texas to Rebel Govt began limiting immigration, kept slaves out, added more soldiers, refused to give Texas more independence

Santa Anna Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna He was elected president of Mexico in 1833 He suspended the Mexico’s republican constitution in 1834 His actions set in motion a rebellion

Texas Revolution Begins October 1835: Texans defeated Mexican soldiers in short battle (Gonzales) Texans formed a temporary government with the goals of defeating Santa Anna and restoring Mexico’s constitution.

The Alamo The Alamo was an old mission in San Antonio. In 1836 Texan troops were overpowered and killed by Mexican forces

Sam Houston & Texas Republic Houston became command in chief of Texas the rebel Texas army They strategically took a stand at San Jacinto near present day Houston. The Mexican Army had poor defenses Houston and his army destroyed Santa Anna’s army and he was forced to sign a treaty that gave Texas independence.

Lone Star Republic The independent nation of Texas was called the Republic of Texas. Capital was Houston and Sam Houston was elected as president. They asked the US government to annex (take control of)Texas US government denied them annexation because they supported slavery and therefore it would upset free/slave state balance and also they did not want to go to war with Mexico (Remember the Missouri Compromise)

Discrimination American Natives and Tejanos were pushed of their lands and treated unfairly Of the 52,700 people in Texas in 1836 over 22,00 were American Indian, African American, and Tejanos Texas Leaders continued to offer land grants to encourage American and European settlers to come to Texas

Annexation With the election of James K Polk as President and by both the US Congressional approval and Texas Congress approval Texas became the 28 th state in December of 1845 The United States does not truly claim the area of Texas north of the Rio Grande until after winning the Mexican American War Texas was incorporated into the nation as well as the Mexican session.