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Disputes with the Disputes with the United StatesUnited States

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The Growing US Threat…The Growing US Threat…• 17751775 the US Revolutionary War begins as

the American Patriots begin fighting for independence against BritainBritain.

• Spain joined in fighting against Great Britain

• Bernardo de Galvez was the governor of Spanish LouisianaLouisiana at the time, and asked resourcesresources from Texas

• In 1783, the United States won its independence and became a republic. The republic began to grow quickly becoming a threat to Spanish power.

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The Threat Continues…The Threat Continues…

• U.S. Settlers began moving west towards the Mississippi River and some even moved into Spanish Territory in Louisiana.

• Spanish officials in Louisiana allowed U.S. immigration to help the population (was sparse at the time) BUTBUT Texas officials went as far as setting up troops on the borders to keep “Americans” out.

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The Louisiana PurchaseThe Louisiana Purchase• In 1800 a land deal known as the Louisiana Purchase

took place. This deal forced Spain to sell Louisiana back to the French… who in turn sold it to the U.S. in 1803. This doubled the size of the U.S.

Anglo American Colonization of Texas

1800-1830

Americans Move West

• After the United Sates 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.

Manifest Destiny

• 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

• Authorities in New Spain wanted to stop the U.S. government from claiming land west of the Mississippi River.

•New Spain was afraid that if Americans came West, they would outnumber the Spaniards and take over.

Americans Move West

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.

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

TEXAS IN 1800

• 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

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN

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.

The Old Three HundredThe Old Three Hundred• By By 18241824, Austin had , Austin had 297297 families and single men families and single men

who had received land in his colony. These settlers who had received land in his colony. These settlers were infamously known as were infamously known as THE OLD THREE THE OLD THREE HUNDRED.HUNDRED.

• Among the 1,790 colonists in 1825 about 440 were Among the 1,790 colonists in 1825 about 440 were slavesslaves of African and Caribbean decent. of African and Caribbean decent.

• These colonists were very These colonists were very well educatedwell educated and law and law abiding and many came from the abiding and many came from the southern U.S.southern U.S. including several from including several from LouisianaLouisiana..

• Some Some womenwomen even held land grants in Austin even held land grants in Austin’’s s colony which was untraditional for that time. colony which was untraditional for that time. One of the most influential was One of the most influential was Jane LongJane Long, the , the widow of James Long.widow of James Long.

• 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. Lively

Old ThreeHundred

mostly U.S.southerners

mostly farmers

manyslaveholders

mostly law-abiding

fairly welleducated

Characteristics of The 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.

Once the settlers were selected to come to Texas, they were given land titles, or proof of

ownership of the land.

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.

• 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.

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.

MexicoMexico’’s New Colonization s New Colonization LawsLaws

Effects on Settlement in Texas

State ColonizationLaw of 1825

National ColonizationLaw 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 received4,428 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

Early Problems in Early Problems in AustinAustin’’s Colonys Colony

• Stephen F AustinStephen F Austin returned to his colony in returned to his colony in August 1823 along with August 1823 along with Baron BastropBaron Bastrop to to issue the official land titles.issue the official land titles.

• He found that several He found that several settlerssettlers had already had already leftleft and others were threatening to leave. and others were threatening to leave.

• Major droughts had ruined many of the first Major droughts had ruined many of the first cropscrops and raids by the and raids by the KarankawaKarankawa and and Tonkawa Indians left little Tonkawa Indians left little food and suppliesfood and supplies..

AustinAustin’’s Reaction s Reaction to the Troubleto the Troubles…s…

• To To reassurereassure the settlers that they belonged the settlers that they belonged in in TexasTexas and to regain their support, Austin and to regain their support, Austin established a established a central governmentcentral government near La near La Grange including a mixture of U.S. and Grange including a mixture of U.S. and MexicanMexican laws by which to govern. laws by which to govern.

• He also set up a He also set up a militiamilitia and launched and launched several attacks against the several attacks against the Texas IndiansTexas Indians. . He eventually He eventually failedfailed at establishing peaceful at establishing peaceful relations with the relations with the IndiansIndians..

San Felipe de AustinSan Felipe de Austin

• In In 18241824 Stephen F. Austin founded Stephen F. Austin founded SanSan Felipe de AustinFelipe de Austin as the as the capitalcapital of his colony. of his colony. It was located along the Brazos River It was located along the Brazos River almost directly in the almost directly in the centercenter of the colony.of the colony.

• San Felipe soon became a booming San Felipe soon became a booming successsuccess as many people as many people movedmoved to the to the capital. By the 1830capital. By the 1830’’s, it was the second s, it was the second largestlargest business center (next to San business center (next to San Antonio). The town housed a newspaper, a Antonio). The town housed a newspaper, a lumber mill, a post office and a hotellumber mill, a post office and a hotel

• AustinAustin’’s Colony s Colony WAS A SUCCESSWAS A SUCCESS!!!!

AustinAustin’’s Other Coloniess Other Colonies• Austin, with the help of Erasmo Austin, with the help of Erasmo

SeguinSeguin and other Tejano and other Tejano leaders, founded leaders, founded fourfour other other colonies. Several of these colonies. Several of these overlapped his original colony.overlapped his original colony.

• One colony stood alone and One colony stood alone and was later known as was later known as AustinAustin’’s s Little ColonyLittle Colony. The main town . The main town was was BastropBastrop..

• AustinAustin’’s Little Colony suffered s Little Colony suffered several several ComancheComanche raids due to raids due to itit’’s s locationlocation (right next to the (right next to the Indians hunting grounds) and Indians hunting grounds) and never managed never managed successsuccess..

“My ambition has been to succeed in redeeming Texas from it’s

wilderness by means of the plow alone… in by doing this I hoped to make the fortune of thousands and

my own amongst the rest.”-Stephen F. Austin (per Gregg Cantrell)

Stephen F Austin’s Contributions to

Texas• Over Over 4040 Empresarios were granted land during Empresarios were granted land during

the 1820the 1820’’s and the s and the populationpopulation increased from a increased from a mere couple thousand to mere couple thousand to 21,00021,000 by 1834. by 1834.

• Stephen F AustinStephen F Austin alone was responsible for alone was responsible for bringing more than bringing more than 1,5001,500 families to Texas. families to Texas.

• He had the ability to get along with almost He had the ability to get along with almost everyone he met including everyone he met including Mexican officialsMexican officials and Indian leadersand Indian leaders

• He will forever be known as He will forever be known as ““The Father of The Father of TexasTexas””

If you were an empresario, which land grant would you have wanted and why?

Mexican Land Grants, 1821-1836

Expanding the Empresarial System

• Although Stephen F. Austin became known as the first real empresario in Texas, he was not the only one.

• The state colonization law of 1825 allowed other empresarios to receive land grants in Texas.

• By 1830, about 30 people were recruiting colonists to Texas.

• 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 settlers to Texas, he had only really settled 166 settlers.

Expanding the Empresarial System

Other EmpresariosOther Empresarios• Martin de Leon-Martin de Leon- was the only Mexican was the only Mexican

empresario to found a Texas colony made up empresario to found a Texas colony made up of primarily Mexican settlers.of primarily Mexican settlers.

• Lorenzo de Zavala-Lorenzo de Zavala- was active in Mexican was active in Mexican politics and received a grant to settle 500 politics and received a grant to settle 500 families in East Texas. He sold the land families in East Texas. He sold the land before establishing the coloniesbefore establishing the colonies

• Population in Texas was almost 20,000 people. • Towns of La Bahia and Nacogdoches had grown

considerably. • There were new towns in San Felipe, Gonzales,

and Victoria.• There were many other smaller communities.• The cotton and cattle industries were growing.• Working together, the Mexican government, the

empresarios, and the settlers would continue to expand Texas’ population.

Texas Texas FeverFever

People who came People who came to Texasto Texas

• Farmers Farmers

• EuropeansEuropeans

• SlavesSlaves

• CherokeeCherokee

Push Push FactorsFactors

Debts from the Panic Debts from the Panic of 1819 and the of 1819 and the resulting crime, resulting crime, depressiondepression

Inability of U.S. Inability of U.S. officials to collectofficials to collectdebts or get fugitives debts or get fugitives in Texasin Texas

Pull Pull FactorsFactors

Cheap landCheap land

Easy payment Easy payment termsterms

G.T.TG.T.TWhat does it What does it

meanmean

When people left town When people left town owing money or owing money or accused of a crime, accused of a crime, people would say people would say they hadthey had

GGONEONE TTO O TTEXASEXAS

G.T.TG.T.TWhy Settlers Why Settlers

Came:Came:

• escaping hard times, escaping hard times, debtsdebts

• escaping criminal escaping criminal chargescharges

• U.S. creditors and U.S. creditors and authorities had no authorities had no power in Texaspower in Texas

• Texas had cheaper Texas had cheaper land; easier payment land; easier payment termsterms

G.T.TG.T.THow They How They TraveledTraveled

• on footon foot

• by covered wagonby covered wagon

• on horsebackon horseback

• by flatboats on by flatboats on riversrivers

• by ocean going by ocean going steamshipssteamships

Get to TexasGet to Texas

TodayToday

What did you Learn??What did you Learn??

1.1. Where did most of the Old Three Hundred come Where did most of the Old Three Hundred come from and what did they all have in common?from and what did they all have in common?

- Most were from the Southern U.S. They were Most were from the Southern U.S. They were mainly well educated, law abiding farmers and many mainly well educated, law abiding farmers and many were slaveholders.were slaveholders.

2.2. How did Austin and the other empresarios affect How did Austin and the other empresarios affect settlement in Texas?settlement in Texas?

- They brought many immigrants particularly U.S. They brought many immigrants particularly U.S. citizens to Texas, increased the population by citizens to Texas, increased the population by setting up colonies and towns.setting up colonies and towns.