The Age of Empresarios Moses Austin 1819 Lived

The Age of Empresarios

Moses Austin • 1819 - Lived in Missouri depression caused him to lose all his money • Hoped to regain wealth by bringing Americans to settle Spanish TX • Spanish were suspicious that he was grabbing land for U. S. until Baron de Bastrop convinced them otherwise • 1820, 1 st Anglo-American to get permission from Spain to bring American settlers to TX

Stephen F. Austin Moses died before bringing settlers to TX • SFA “The Father of Texas” continued father’s dream of colonizing TX • Summer 1821 - SFA explored TX Austin’s Map of Texas • • Ok Da d… carry o I’ll u your p t la for set ns tling Texas. Discovered region between the Colorado & Brazos Rivers - good place for a colony: • fertile soil • abundant water • natural resources • mild climate

TX Settlement Requirements • Empresarios would sign contract with the gov. where they promised to settle a certain number of families that fulfilled these requirements: • Convert to Catholicism • Become a citizen of Spain later Mexico • Be of good moral character • Be a Farmer or tradesman

• The prospect of obtaining good farmland at low prices attracted many people to Texas.

While Austin was Away • While Austin surveys Texas land, Mexican rebels fought Spain for independence. • The Mexican Revolution ends in 1821 making it its own sovereign (independent) country.

Problems Face the Colonist Austin returned to colony & found many problems that caused colonists to leave: • Drought • Land boundaries disputes • Native Americans (Karankawas)raided settlements & stole horses & cattle Empresarios got more land if successful. Which depended on them working with govt. and if the land was desirable. Austin deals with problems by: • Settled land disputes between settlers • Negotiated • Set with the Karankawas up militia to protect settlers

Mexico’s Independence • March 1822, SFA went to San Antonio to report his progress • Once there, he learned about Mexico getting their independence from Spain in Sept 1821 • Also learned the new gov. did not recognize Austin’s right to colonize TX • Why did the new Mexican government not recognize Austin’s right to colonize?

Mexican Constitution of 1824 • Written after Mexico’s independence from Spain • Named United Mexican States • Representative Federal Republic • Similar to US Constitution: • Individual • Strong freedoms state government • Elected officials • Also stated: • Roman Catholic – official religion • Mexican government dealings - Spanish • Established state of Coahuila y Tejas (merged TX & Coahuila) • TX not made a state b/c small population

State Colonization Law of 1825 • Set up guidelines to colonize Coahuila y Tejas: 1. No one could receive more then 48, 708 acres of land; 2. No colony established close to coast or foreign country w/o Mexico’s permission; 3. Only permanent residents could get land grants • People flocked to Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila y Tejas when they learned of the law allowed individual state to grant contracts • This law allowed SFA & other empresarios to receive land grants in TX

Austin Impresses Mexican Leaders Austin was given permission for land contracts & gets 100, 000 acres himself for his services under these terms: It was too far to travel from Texas to Saltillo. • The amount of land each settler received was increased • Families who raised livestock & farmed could receive a total of 4, 605 acres

Empresarios While you could come to Texas w/o H Empresario help, most families didn’t. ola. Why not? • Most settlers could not speak Spanish • Empresarios helped get land titles • Empresarios held most of the desirable land • Empresarios were successful in bringing American colonist to TX • By the beginning of the 1830 s, more immigrants living in TX than native Mexicans • How do you think this population change affected the history of Texas?

Green Dewitt • From Missouri • 2 nd most successful Empresario • Settled East of SFA's colony • Established town of Gonzales w/166 families • Had problems with Native American raids

Martin De Leon • A native of Mexico also known as… Tejano • Settled 200 families South of De. Witt between Lavaca River & Guadalupe River • Expert horseman & rancher • Promoted TX cattle industry • Established the town of Victoria in 1824 - important trade center between Mexico & TX • Forced to leave TX b/c of anti. Mexican sentiments

Erasmo Seguin • Successful rancher • Promoted TX settlers’ interests • Father to Juan N. Seguin, who fought for TX independence • Assisted SFA in getting permission to settle his father’s land grants • TX representative to the congress that wrote the Constitution of 1824 • Help establish colonization law that allowed state governments to grant land to empresarios

The Old 300 • • Austin colony settlers became known as the Old Three Hundred Most settlers come from LA, AR, TN, MO Rivers were used for transportation and provided water for fertile soil. Level coastal plains allowed roads to connect settlements easily. • Early colonist given opportunity to select best land to build homes & farms • 1824 – San Felipe de Austin becomes the unofficial capital – named for Austin & patron saint of TX Governor Luciano García.

Population BEFORE Empresarios: 7, 000 Population AFTER Empresarios: 22, 000 Towns established after the Americans came: San Felipe • Gonzales • Victoria • Refugio • Galveston • Bastrop • San Patricio • And many more… Nacogdoches • Bastrop San Antonio San Felipe de Austin Galveston Gonzales Victoria Goliad Saltillo