1. Mexican Colonization and the Empresario System – 1821-1836
Unit 4
Mexican Colonization and the Empresario System –

2. For these notes – you write the slides with the red titles!!!

3. Unit 4 Vocab
empresario – an agent who makes all the arrangements to bring settlers to a colony
immigration – the movement of people from one place to settle in another place
Tejano – the unique cultural blending of Spanish and American traditions in Texas
Petition - a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority
Militia - civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army
Anglo-American - people whose ancestors moved from one of many European countries to the United States and who now share a common culture and language
Recruit - to persuade someone to join a group
Filibuster - an adventurer who engages in private rebellious activity in a foreign country
Republic - a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens
Cede - to surrender by treaty or agreement
Land Title - legal document proving land ownership

4. Warm Up

5. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla – Gave a speech called “Grito de Dolores” in Became known as the Father of the Mexican independence movement.
Leads rebellion but is killed in 1811.
Mexico does not win independence until 1821.

6. Anglo Americans Come to Texas
Early immigrants from the U.S. into Texas became known as filibusteros by the Spanish authorities.
They were afraid that they were spies sent from the U.S. to cause problems.
They became involved in Mexico’s independence movement.
Filibuster- an adventurer who engages in private rebellious activity in a foreign country

7. Warm Up

8. Filibusters
Philip Nolan – Mustang wrangler sent to Texas with Spanish approval
Gutierrez-Magee Expedition – José Gutiérrez and Augustus Magee proclaimed Texas independent of Spain. Defeated by Royalist Army.
Galveston Pirates – Jean Lafitte and other pirates attacked Spanish ships
Long Expedition – Dr. James Long led a group from Mississippi to Nacogdoches where he declared Texas independent from Spain.

9. Jane Long Wife of Filibuster James Long
Learned of James’ death while living near Galveston with her daughter.
Endured severe weather, scarce food, and the threat of attack from Native Americans. She used a small cannon to scare away some Karankawa.
Left for Mexico to investigate James’ death.
Returned to Texas in Stephen F. Austin’s colony as a successful business woman.
Nicknamed “Mother of Texas”

10. Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition
José Gutiérrez de Lara - Leader of the Mexican Republican Army of the North and opposed Spanish Rule.
Augustus Magee- Former Lt of U.S. Army joined with Gutiérrez in Louisiana.
The Gutierrez-Magee Expedition joined to continue the revolution started by Miguel Hidalgo. They won several cities in Texas before being stopped in the Battle of Medina.

11. Battle of Medina – August 18, 1813
Medina River south of San Antonio
republican forces of the Gutiérrez-Magee expedition vs Spanish royalist army
The Gutierrez-Magee lost miserably, but it encouraged others to join the revolution.

12. Adams-Onis treaty 1819
Treaty set border between US and Spanish Texas along Sabine River
US agreed that Spain owned Texas
In return, Spain gave Florida to the US

13. Americans Move West
After the United States gained its freedom from Great Britain in 1783, Anglo Americans began searching for new areas to settle.
Some Americans ventured across the Mississippi River.
They dreamt of new homes in the West.
Anglo Americans – People whose ancestors moved from one of many European countries to the United States and who now share a common culture and language.

14. Why were settlers wanting to come to Texas?
They were attracted to the plentiful and inexpensive land.
They were seeking adventure and personal gain.
They sought escape from problems in the United States.
browne/browne03.jpg

15. Why Texas?
Spanish:
Purpose - To lay claim to Texas for Spain; acquire gold, silver, and resources
Method - Missions, presidios, and civil settlements
Mexican:
Purpose - Economic opportunities; increase the population of Mexico
Methods - Civil settlements and empresario grants
Anglo:
Purpose - Economic opportunities of large farms to grow cash crops and small businesses; increase the population of Texas; new start; escape debt
Method - Empresario grants

16. Warm Up Write A definition for each of the following terms:
Anglo-American
Recruit
Filibuster
Republic

17. Empresarios come to New Spain
empresario – an agent who makes all the arrangements to bring settlers to a colony
Spain began to allow Anglo Americans to settle in New Spain if they agreed to do three things. (Same system used for Mexico later)
Pledge Loyalty
Become Catholics
Be of good moral character
Under this plan, George Morgan became the first empresario to recruit settlers from the U.S. and be responsible to Spanish authorities for them.

18. MOSES AUSTIN BEGINS COLONIZATION IN TEXAS
Moses Austin was from Connecticut.
Austin was interested in lead mining.
After hearing about George Morgan’s colony in current-day Missouri, Moses Austin moved there to operate a lead mine.
The mine failed but he had a new Idea…

19. had suffered financial ruin
Why Moses Austin Wanted to Start a Colony
Why Spanish Officials Approved Austin’s Colony
had suffered financial ruin
had profited before by moving to a Spanish land
hoped to regain wealth by collecting fees from U.S. settlers
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
met with Governor
Martínez and the
Baron de Bastrop in
San Antonio and
gained their support

20. Moses Austin
Moses Austin (1820) – first American to work with the Spanish government to settle Americans in Texas.
He wanted to bring 300 US families to Texas.
Moses Austin presented a petition to the Spanish government.
He died before he could begin his colony in Texas
His son Stephen F. Austin agreed to carry out his dream.

21. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
At 27, Stephen F. Austin put aside his plans of practicing law and went to Texas to fulfill his father’s wishes.
Austin’s first visited San Antonio de Bexar and met with Governor Martinez.
Governor Martinez appointed Erasmo Seguin (a well-known and respected citizen) to help Austin.
photo at people/a_c/austin.htm

22. Austin traveled to New Orleans to recruit colonists.
Austin looked for people who were willing to accept hard times and could provide for themselves.
Remember, these colonists had to agree to be Catholic and loyal to Spain.
According to the grant, Austin could bring 300 families to Texas.

23. Stephen F. Austin
Stephen F. Austin (1821) – first American to recruit and settle Americans in Texas/Mexico.
He settled 300 families known as “the Old Three Hundred” in his first Texas colony.
Known as the most important empresario.
His efforts led to the colonization of Texas by other American settlers.
Nicknamed “Father of Texas”

24. Mexico Wins Independence – August 24, 1821
Treaty signed, making Mexico independent.
Texas then became part the new Republic of Mexico.

25. MEXICO AFTER INDEPENDENCE, 1821

26. Once Austin found out that Mexico had gained its independence from Spain, he traveled over 1,000 miles to Mexico to obtain permission for his colony.
After a year, he received the approval of the Mexican government for his colony.
During this year, Austin learned to speak Spanish and won the trust of Mexican officials.

27. Anglo Americans Settle in Mexico
Anglo Americans had to do three things to settle in Mexico.
Pledge loyalty
Become Catholic
Be of good moral character

28. One Labor – $2.50 One Sitio - $30.00 OLD THREE HUNDRED
Settlers who were farmers received one labor, or 177 acres.
Settlers who raised cattle received a sitio, or a square league of 4,428 acres.
Many settlers received both.
One Labor – $2.50
One Sitio - $30.00

29. The Old Three Hundred
Austin’s first visited San Antonio de Bexar and met with Governor Martinez.
Governor Martinez appointed Erasmo Seguin (a well- known and respected citizen) to help Austin locate a place for his colony.
Austin chose the area between Lavaca and San Jacinto Rivers.
area easy for settlers to clear
received enough rainfall for crops
area good to grow sugar cane, cotton, corn, and other familiar crops

30. Settlers began coming over in 1821
The Old Three Hundred
Settlers began coming over in 1821
297 Families and single men received land in Austin’s first colony.
Among the 1,790 colonists in 1825 about 440 were slaves of African and Caribbean decent.
Women even held land grants in Austin’s colony.
Jane Long, the widow of James Long.

31. Characteristics of The Old Three Hundred
mostly U.S.
southerners
mostly farmers
many
slaveholders
mostly law-abiding
fairly well
educated

32. Slavery in Texas
1821 – colonists could bring enslaved people to Texas and buy land depending on the number of enslaved people brought.
Mexico offered full citizenship to free African Americans, including land ownership and other privileges.
1823 – the sale or purchase of enslaved people was forbidden in Texas.
1827 – the legislature of Coahuila y Tejas outlawed the introduction of additional enslaved people and granted freedom at birth to all children born to enslaved people.
1829 – Mexico abolished slavery, but it granted an exception to Texas.
1830 – importation of enslaved people was illegal in Texas.

33. Stephen F. Austin’s Contributions to Texas
Over 40 Empresarios were granted land during the 1820’s
The population increased from a mere couple thousand to 21,000 by 1834.
Stephen F Austin alone was responsible for bringing more than 1,500 families to Texas.
He will forever be known as “The Father of Texas”

34. Other Important Empresarios
Martin De Leon – a Mexican empresario who settled 200 Mexican families in South Texas (between the Lavaca and Guadalupe River).
He and his wife founded the town of Victoria in 1824.
Green DeWitt (1831) – Second most important American empresario who settled 166 families in the area near present-day Gonzales
Lorenzo de Zavala- was active in Mexican politics and received a grant to settle 500 families in East Texas. He sold the land before establishing the colonies

35. Mexican Constitution of 1824
Modeled after the U.S. Constitution.
The republic took the name of United Mexican States.
Texas and Coahuila merged together as a state.
Texas was not organized as a separate state because of its small population.
Catholic religion was made the state faith;
Erasmo Seguín represented Texas in the constitutional assembly & Helped draft the constitution.
never submitted to a vote of the people for ratification.

36. Mexico’s New Colonization Laws
Effects on Settlement in Texas
State Colonization
Law of 1825
National Colonization
Law of 1824
allowed each Mexican state to set its own colonization policies
restricted new U.S. immigrants from establishing colonies near the borders or the coast
Empresarios received 67,000 acres of land for every 200
families
- heads of household received
4,428 acres of land for $30 and exempt from paying taxes
for 10 years
huge wave of immigration, particularly U.S. immigration to Texas
several new colonies established

37. If you were an empresario, which land grant would you have wanted and why?
Mexican Land Grants,