Warm Up

The Mexican National Era

Unit 5 Vocab •Immigrant - a person who comes to a country where they were not born in order to settle there

•Petition - a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority

•Tejano - a person of Mexican descent living in Texas

•Militia - civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army

•Empresario -the Spanish word for a land agent whose job it was to bring in new settlers to an area

•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

•Compromise - an agreement in which both sides give something up

•Republic - a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

•Neutral - Not belonging to one side or the other

•Cede - to surrender by treaty or agreement

•Land Title - legal document proving land ownership

•Emigrate - leave one's country of residence for a new one

Warm Up

Warm-up

• Why do you think that the

Spanish colonists wanted to

break away from Spain?

5

Unrest and Revolution

Mexican Independence &

Impact on Texas • Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla – Gave a speech

called “Grito de Dolores” in 1810.

Became known as the Father of the

Mexican independence movement.

• Leads rebellion but is killed in 1811.

• Mexico does not win independence until

1821.

8

Hidalgo’s Supporters Rebel Against Spain

• A group of rebels led by Juan Bautista de las Casas overthrew the Spanish government in San Antonio.

• They named Las Casas governor and then took control of La Bahia and Nacogdoches.

• On January 22, 1811, Las Casas declared the Mexican state of Texas independent of Spain.

9

Mexican Unrest Continues

• Even though the rebellions led by

Hidalgo and Las Casas failed, people

began opening their eyes to the

possibility of freedom from Spanish

control.

• They believed that with the right

army, the colonists could “win” their

independence.

10

Meanwhile in Spain

• A group of liberals staged a successful revolt in 1820.

• This revolt forced the king of Spain to make changes.

• The conservatives in Spain started to think twice about all of its choices.

• Many conservatives joined with Father Hidalgo’s followers to defeat Spanish forces.

11

August 24, 1821 • A treaty was signed, making

Mexico independent from

Spain.

• Texas then became the new

Republic of Mexico.

Filibusters and Fear

• Spain had been afraid of a loss of land

after the U.S. Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

• The Louisiana Purchase made the U.S.

directly border New Spain and then

Mexico after 1821.

• The Filibusters did not help ease this

fear.

12

Guitierrez Magee Expedition: •US army sent Lieutenant Augustus Magee to

remove outlaws from neutral zone (hiding place)

•Left army and teamed up with rebel Gutierrez to

invade Texas

•Gathered army and captured Nacogdoches in 1812

• (They were defeated shortly thereafter.)

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

Spanish Rule Ends in Mexico

16

MEXICO AFTER

INDEPENDENCE, 1821

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.

• 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.

Why were settlers coming to Texas?

www.txlandandcountry.com/ browne/browne03.jpg

Warm Up

Write A definition for each of the following terms:

1. Anglo-American

2. Recruit

3. Filibuster

4. Compromise

5. Republic

The Filibusters

Early Anglo Settlement in

Texas

?

People seeking adventure began

coming to Spanish Texas.

Some of these adventurers came for

profit, others came to establish

independent states.

These adventure-seekers were called

filibusters.

In 1800, Philip Nolan, perhaps the

most famous filibuster, came to Texas

to catch and sell wild mustangs.

Many others followed suit.

The Spanish were suspicious of many

people, and they thought that all

filibusters were trying to make Texas

part of the U.S.

Spain was suspicious of some

people such as James Long (1819).

Long came to Texas, captured

Nacogdoches, and claimed Texas as

a free and independent state.

Eventually, the term filibuster

became synonymous with a

trouble maker who wanted to

start rebellion.

Both Philip Nolan and James Long

were executed by the Spanish

government because of the fear that

the filibusters wanted to take Texas

away from Spain.

Jane Long, James’s wife, learned of his

death while living on Point Bolivar near

Galveston. She was left alone with a young

daughter and servant.

Mrs. Long endured severe weather, scarce

food, and the threat of attack from Native

Americans and Spanish soldiers.

At one point she used a small cannon to

frighten away some Karankawa Indians.

Later, Jane traveled to Mexico to

investigate her husband’s death.

Jane Long’s bravery and

independent spirit has

earned her the nickname

“Mother of Texas”.

She eventually returned to Texas where she

bought land and became a successful

business woman.

Spain Controls Immigration

• Initially, Spain tried to control the

movement of American immigrants by

allowing Anglo Americans to settle in

Missouri on generous land grants IF

they agreed to:

– 1. pledge their loyalty to the Spanish

government

– 2. become Catholics (many were not)

Immigrants – a person who comes to a country to settle

• By making the settlers agree to

the two conditions, Spain hoped:

– to populate the area to extend

Spanish rule and

– the new settlers would help prevent

other Anglo Americans from

entering the territory illegally.

Spain Controls Immigration

• Under this plan, George Morgan became

the first empresario to recruit settlers from

the U.S. and be responsible to Spanish

authorities for them.

Spain Controls Immigration

empresario – an agent who makes all

arrangements to bring settlers to a colony

recruit – to persuade someone to join a group

•In 1787, Morgan founded New Madrid,

which is now Missouri.

Warm Up

Write A definition for each of the following terms:

• Neutral

• Cede

• Land Title

• Emigrate

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.

www.dallashistory.org/.../ texas/colonization.htm

• Initially things went well for Austin until he lost his fortune and was deep in debt.

• He decided that helping colonists locate in Texas was a good way to make money and pay off his debt.

MOSES AUSTIN BEGINS

COLONIZATION IN TEXAS

• He wanted to bring 300 US families to Texas.

• Moses Austin presented a petition to the Spanish government.

(petition – formal written request)

• Do you think the Spanish Government is going to say, “yes” to more U.S. settlers to enter Spanish Texas? (The Spanish government was skeptical because of the filibusters who had attempted to seize/take over Spanish lands.)

MOSES AUSTIN BEGINS COLONIZATION IN TEXAS

MOSES AUSTIN BEGINS COLONIZATION IN TEXAS

• Believing his petition was going to be approved, Moses Austin headed east to start recruiting colonists for Texas.

• He became ill and was dying when he learned that his petition was officially approved by the Spanish officials.

• On his deathbed, Austin asked his son, Stephen F. Austin, to carry out his dream of colonizing Texas.

www.dallashistory.org/.../ texas/colonization.htm

• 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 www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/ people/a_c/austin.htm

photo at http://www.texas.discodesigns.com/texas/austin/index.shtml

• Where would Austin put these colonists he

was bringing to Texas?

• Austin’s first job was to choose a site for

his colony.

• He 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

• 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.

• 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.

• Beginning in 1821, settlers came to Texas.

• Austin purchased a small vessel named

“Lively” to transport the colonists.

• Some colonists landed at the wrong river

(the Brazos, instead of the Colorado) and

didn’t see Austin. These colonists were

frustrated and returned back to their

homes in New Orleans.

The Old Three Hundred • By 1824, Austin had 297 families and single men

who had received land in his colony. These settlers

were infamously known as THE OLD THREE

HUNDRED.

• Among the 1,790 colonists in 1825 about 440 were

slaves of African and Caribbean decent.

• These colonists were very well educated and law

abiding and many came from the southern U.S.

including several from Louisiana.

• Some women even held land grants in Austin’s

colony which was untraditional for that time.

One of the most influential was Jane Long, the

widow of James Long.

Old Three

Hundred

mostly U.S.

southerners

mostly

farmers

many

slaveholders

mostly

law-abiding

fairly well

educated

Characteristics of The

Old Three Hundred

Austin’s Leadership

• The first years in the colony were

tough.

– drought

– attacks by Karankawas

– many colonists returning to the United

States

•Austin’s colony was successful.

•This success was due to Austin’s leadership.

• 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.

Once the settlers were selected

to come to Texas, they were

given land titles, or proof of

ownership of the land.

Austin deals successfully with

Mexican leaders.

• Austin was awarded grants under

national colonization laws.

• Austin influenced laws that freed

colonists from taxes.

• Austin also obtained homestead

rights for the colonists.

– These rights meant that settlers’ land

and tools could not be seized to pay

back a debt.

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

Stephen F Austin’s Contributions to Texas

• Over 40 Empresarios were granted land during

the 1820’s and 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 had the ability to get along with almost

everyone he met including Mexican officials and

Indian leaders

• He will forever be known as “The Father of

Texas”

If you were an empresario,

which land grant would you

have wanted and why?

Mexican Land Grants, 1821-1836

• The second most important

empresario was Green DeWitt.

– DeWitt founded a colony southwest of

Austin’s original grant.

– DeWitt’s headquarters were in

Gonzales.

– Although DeWitt had permission to bring

400 families to Texas, he had only really

settled 166 families.

Expanding the Empresarial

System

Other Empresarios • Martin de Leon- was the only Mexican

empresario to found a Texas colony made up

of primarily Mexican settlers.

• 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

What did you Learn??

1. Where did most of the Old Three Hundred come

from and what did they all have in common?

- Most were from the Southern U.S. They were

mainly well educated, law abiding farmers and many

were slaveholders.

2. How did Austin and the other empresarios affect

settlement in Texas?

- They brought many immigrants particularly U.S.

citizens to Texas, increased the population by

setting up colonies and towns.