1. Independence For Texas
By Chandler Cotton

2. The History of Texas
Before Texas was a part of the United States, there were many conflicts over who claimed this land. When the Louisiana Purchase was bought by the United States in 1803, the United States believed that Texas belonged to them. However, Spain believed that Texas was a part of their land. This issue was debated for 16 years until, in 1819, the Adams-Onis Treaty dropped the United State’s claim on Texas.

3. The Land Grants (Part 1)
During the 1820s, the population of Texas was very small, and there were only about 3000 people living there at the time. The entire population consisted of Mexicans and Native Americans. Because of the small population, the Spanish wanted to bring in more people to live in Texas. Their plan was to offer large amounts of land to families that moved to Texas. The first man to purchase a land grant was Moses Austin. Right before Moses began to create his colony, he died of pneumonia. His son, Stephen F. Austin, asked the Mexican government for his father’s land grant. The Mexican government approved, and Stephen began creating his colony.

4. The Land Grants (Part 2)
Stephen gathered 300 American families, nicknamed the Old Three Hundred, and journeyed to Texas. Stephen and the families settled along the Colorado and Brazos River. This was a smart decision, since the soil there was very fertile, suitable for farming. In exchange for the land in Texas, Americans who moved there had to adopt Mexican lifestyles, such as:
Learning Spanish
Becoming Mexican citizens
Convert to Catholicism
Obey Mexican law

6. Tension Between the Americans and Mexicans
By 1830, the number of Americans living in Texas far outnumbered the number of Mexicans living there. The Mexican government was alarmed, and issued a decree, which discouraged all immigration from the United States. In addition, the Mexican government offered giant land grants to Mexican and European families encouraging them to move to Texas.

7. Showdown Between Stephen Austin and Antonio Lopez (Part 1)
After Mexico issued its decree discouraging immigration, some Americans demanded independence. Many Americans, however, wanted to negotiate better living conditions for Mexico. In 1833, Stephen Austin traveled to Mexico City to negotiate with the current president of Mexico, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Stephen’s demand was that Texas become a separate state. Antonio refused, however, and Stephen returned to the colony.

8. Showdown Between Stephen Austin and Antonio Lopez (Part 2)
When Stephen returned to the colony, he wrote a letter to Antonio, suggesting that plans for independence get underway. However, the Mexican government got a hold of Stephen’s letter, and arrested him. Antonio took over as dictator, gave the government more power, and ruled over all of Texas. The Texans felt betrayed, and resulted in many open battles.

9. Sources http://geology.com/state-map/texas.shtml
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The American Journey: Florida Edition History Textbook