Vocabulary! Federalists – those in Mexico who supported the establishment of a federal system of government like that in the United States Centralists – those in Mexico who favored a strong central government with power concentrated among a few leaders Revolution – a movement to bring about change Siege – surrounding a fortification to cut it off from supplies Delegate – a person acting as a representative for others Republic – type of government with elected representatives Courier – a messenger generally delivering correspondence between officials Treaty – an agreement between national governments Retreat- to exit a battle due to a defeat or stronger enemy force Reinforcements- soldiers sent to strengthen an army Cavalry- soldiers who fight on horseback

Tensions in Texas In the majority of the 1820s, the Federalists held power in Mexico. They governed very similarly to the US government. In 1829, Centralists took power and took more control of individual states. This would create tensions between the states and the Centralist government.

Tensions in Texas In Texas, the first major source of tension was before the Centralists even came to power. The Nacogdoches land grant was given to Haden Edwards to settle 800 families in East Texas. Many people already lived on this land, but Edwards made them prove they had rights to the land. Many settlers did not have the paperwork and felt threatened.

Tensions in Texas An election for the mayor of Nacogdoches ended up causing more tension. Edwards, being the empresario, declared Chichester Chaplin the winner. He sided with Edwards in the dispute with earlier settlers. The other candidate, Samuel Norris, and his supporters went to Mexican officials to protest. Those officials declared Norris the winner. Eventually Mexico would cancel Edwards' land contract after actions by his brother.

Fredonia Edwards' supporters decided to rebel against the Mexican government. They arrested Norris and put a new mayor in power. Edwards' brother, with some help, declared the area independent and “The Republic of Fredonia” on December 21, They asked Austin to help with the revolution, but Austin helped Mexico put the revolution down. This failed revolution would lead to more distrust between Mexico and Texas.

Mier y Teran After the Fredonia Rebellion, Mexican officials were nervous about Anglo immigrants' intentions. They sent Manuel de Mier y Teran to go investigate what was happening in Texas His report stated that the American influence in Texas was cause for concern, and Mexico should encourage more Mexicans and Europeans to come to Texas and encourage trade with the rest of Mexico

Slavery Anglo immigrants were always concerned with if Mexico would ever consider banning slavery. Austin and others even persuaded the government to keep it legal. In 1829, Mexico's President issued a decree (an order) declaring slavery illegal in Mexico. It was not enforced in Texas, but it still made Anglo slaveholders in Texas nervous that Mexico would one day ban slavery.

Law of April 6, 1830 Based on Mier y Teran's recommendations, Mexico's government passed the Law of April 6, The law stopped immigration from the United States and suspended most empresario contracts. It also set up new forts to station soldiers that prevented smuggling from foreign countries, importing new slaves, and illegal land speculation (buying and selling land). The government also placed duties (taxes) on goods from foreign countries to Texas. This was an attempt to make Texans trade with Mexico instead of the United States.

Law of April 6, 1830 Anglo settlers were alarmed by this law. Most of their success came from being able to trade with the United States. They also had friends and relatives in the US that now could not come to Texas. The ban on importation of new slaves made Texan slaveholders fear that slavery would soon be banned in Texas. The law was a permanent turning point in relations between Texas and Mexico. Each side started to distrust the other. Austin would try to negotiate with the Mexican government, but the damage was already done.

Anahuac Taxes led to the next major problem with Mexico and Texas. It would happen at the port of Anahuac. Colonel John Bradburn was assigned to command a fort at the mouth of the Trinity River. He was from America but was made a Colonel in the Mexican army after fighting for Mexican Independence. Bradburn started angering local colonists by refusing to return escaped slaves, enforcing the taxes on imported goods that came by ship, and his soldiers stealing supplies from colonists.

Anahuac The tax collector at Anahuac was collecting taxes on goods as far away as the Brazos River on Bradburn's orders. There were Mexican soldiers stationed at the mouth of the Brazos, but there was no tax collector. Ship captains moving goods up the Brazos River were expected to dock their ships and then travel by land to Anahuac to pay the tax. This made many of the ship captains angry and some went up the river without paying taxes. This led to Texan ship crews and Mexican soldiers shooting at each other.

Anahuac In May 1832, the situation got worse. Bradburn arrested William B. Travis and Patrick C. Jack and put them in prison because he suspected they were spreading rumors about armed people from Louisiana coming to Anahuac to fight. Two different groups of angry settlers, totaling about 200 people, marched to Anahuac. Frank W. Johnson and William H. Jack, Patrick’s brother, led one group from San Felipe. John Austin, a friend and possibly a distant relation of Stephen F. Austin, led the other party from Brazoria.

Anahuac A skirmish (small battle) broke out between Texans and Mexican forces. The Texans captured some of the soldiers and tried to exchange them for Travis and Jack. Bradburn said that they could if the Texans retreated. They let the Mexican soldiers go, but some Texans did not retreat. Bradburn did not let Travis and Jack go and called for more troops. After another skirmish, Texans made camp at Turtle Bayou. John Austin went back to Brazoria to get a cannon.

Turtle Bayou During this time, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who was a Federalist, led a revolt against Anastacio Bustamante, the Centralist President at the time. Santa Anna promised to follow the Constitution of 1824, which Texans supported. The Texans heard that Santa Anna won a battle against the Centralists while they were at Turtle Bayou. On June 13, 1832, they made the Turtle Bayou Resolutions. The resolutions (formal statements) said that Texans were loyal to Mexico but not to the Centralist government. The Texans stated that they supported Santa Anna and the Federalists.

Turtle Bayou Eventually, another Mexican Army commander would relieve Bradburn. This commander, José de las Piedras, thought the Texas forces were stronger than they were and gave into their demands. Anahuac’s next commander was a Federalist. He shut the fort down and took his soldiers to Mexico to fight for Santa Anna.

Velasco John Austin took a cannon and loaded it on a ship to take to Anahuac. Colonel Ugartechea (oogahrtehCHAYah) would not let Austin and his forces pass at a place called Velasco. Fighting broke out and several people on both sides died. Mexican Forces surrendered after they ran out of ammo. Austin took the cannon to Anahuac, but learned that Travis and Jack were already free. While this was going on, Santa Anna’s forces won more battles and Bustamante resigned from office. Santa Anna would go on to take power the next year, and Texans were all very excited because they thought Santa Anna would support the Constitution.

Conventions of 1832 and 1833 From October 1 through October , with Stephen F. Austin leading the convention as president, 55 delegates met at San Felipe. They proposed that immigration from the US resume, to stop import duties for three years, and Texas be its own state. These proposals were not presented to Mexico In April 1833, Anglos called a new convention. They had many new delegates, including Sam Houston. The Convention of 1833 made the same resolutions, but also wrote up an official state constitution. Stephen F Austin, Dr. James Miller, and Erasmo Seguin were chosen to go to Mexico to present it to the government. In the end, Austin went by himself.