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.

• 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?

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• 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

Spain Controls Immigration

empresario – an agent who makes all arrangements to bring settlers to a colony

recruit – to persuade someone to join a group

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.

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• 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.

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• At 27, Stephen F. Austin put aside his plans of practicing law and went to Texas to fulfill his father’s wishes.

• Erasmo Seguin (mayor of San Antonio de Bexar) had traveled to Louisiana to meet with him

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.

How it Worked• Stephen F. Austin was the first to get his contract

approved by the Spanish (and then the Mexican) government… so he was the first empresario (he was also the most successful)

• Each empresario would sign a contract with the government of Mexico whereby they promised to settle a certain number of families (in Austin’s first contract he was supposed to settle 300 families)

REQUIREMENTS FOR SETTLING IN TEXAS:

•You had to become Catholic

•You had to become a citizen of your new country (Spain, and later Mexico)

•You had to be of good moral character

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’s even held land grants in Austin’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.

Cheap Land

Land was 12 cents an acre.

Every man who came to Austin for land would receive:

• 640 acres for himself• 320 acres for his wife• 160 acres for each child• 80 acres for each slave

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.

Mexico’s New Colonization Mexico’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 Austin’s ColonyAustin’s 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..

Stephen F Austin’s Contributions to

Texas• 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

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