Chapter 9: Life in Early Texas

Section 4: Government and Society

Bellwork

•Define “republic”

Texas under Mexican Rule

• 1824: Mexico became a republic and adopted a

constitution.

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Stephen F. Austin: had advised the officials who had written the constitution

• Erasmo Seguin: represented Texas at the constitutional assembly and helped write the document

Texas under Mexican Rule

•Most Texans supported the Constitution of

1824.

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Similarities to U.S. Constitution:

– gave limited powers to the central government and broad local authority to the states

Texas under Mexican Rule

•Federalism—decentralized

form of government

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Similarities to U.S. Constitution:

– Three branches of government

– President served as head of state

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Differences to U.S. Constitution:

– State lawmakers, not citizens, elected the president

– No separation of church and state or freedom of religionRoman Catholicism was the

official religion of Mexico under the Constitution of 1824.

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Constitution of 1824 united the provinces of Texas and Coahuila into a

single state.

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Most Texans disliked the united of Texas and Coahuila:

– They feared not having enough local control

– The state’s capital, Saltillo, was far away

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Most U.S. settlers wanted local control over rights and freedoms--used to U.S. political tradition.

• U.S. settlers often ignored or changed laws they disagreed with.

Texas under Mexican Rule

• Mexican official often paid no attention when U.S. settlers ignored their laws.

• Local government became a mixture of Mexican and U.S. practices.

The Issue of Slavery• Slavery divided U.S.

settlers and the Mexican government

• 1820s: Mexican & Coahuila y Texas governments passed laws restricting slavery

The Issue of Slavery

• Stephen F. Austin was in favor of bringing slaves to Texas.

• Some slaveholders who wanted to emigrate to Texas in the 1820s were worried that Mexico might make slavery illegal.

The Issue of Slavery• 1827: State constitution outlawed

slavery

• Jose Antonio Navarro helped pass a law allowing for contract labor—helped people get around the ban on slavery.

• Tensions over slavery continued to increase as U.S. settlement increased.

Mexican Constitution of 1824

Formed the state of Coahuila y

Texas

Gave states strong local

control

Roman Catholicism

official religion

Effects Effects Effects