Age of Empresarios

Age of Empresarios

United States Spain (until 1821) and Mexico

U.S. gains freedom from Great Britain in 1783 & people start “eyeing” lands across the Mississippi River….which alarms SPAIN! • They fear Anglos will outnumber the Spaniards. • Anglo Americans - people whose ancestors moved from many European countries to the U.S. who share common culture/language • 1st attempt to control immigration in Missouri – (1) pledge loyalty to Spain and (2) become Catholic • George Morgan – 1stempressario to recruit from the U.S. • and founder of New Madrid in 1789 on the west bank of • the Mississippi River in what is now Missouri

The Constitution of 1824 • In 1824 the Federalists wrote a constitution for Mexico that divided the nation into 19 states and 4 territories • Coahuila and Tejas were united as one Mexican state.

Colonization Law • In 1824, Mexican congress passed a new colonization law. • No one could receive more than 48,708 acres of land • No colony could be established within 30 miles of the coast nor within 60 miles of an international boundary without government permission • Only those who intended to live permanently in Texas could receive land contracts. • Land grants were now given through each individual state instead of Mexico City.

How State Colonization Laws Worked • In 1825, Saltillo legislature passed a new law providing for colonization. • Foreigners were invited to immigrate to Texas. • They could receive title to land as individuals or through an empresario.

How State Colonization Laws Worked • After a family paid $30, they could receive 4,428 acres. • Colonists would not have to pay taxes for a set number of years. • Single men would receive only 1,107 acres of land and would be given an additional 3,321 acres when they were married. • If a man married a Mexican woman, he would receive an additional bonus of 1,107 acres.

How State Colonization Laws Worked • Colonists had to be of good moral character. • They also had to be Catholic, but Mexican authorities did not bother settlers who practiced other religions due to a shortage of Catholic priests. • Most settlers came to Texas on an empresario contract.

The Constitution of 1824 • March 19, 1823, Mexican emperor Agustin de Iturbide was overthrown. • The people who formed the new Mexican government were called Federalists**, they believed in sharing power between the states and the national government. = National Flag State Flag

Their opponents, called Centralists, believed that power should be concentrated in the national government of Mexico City. ≠

Stephen F. Austin and the Empresarios

Towns already in Texas when Moses Austin showed up • San Antonio • Goliad • Nacogdoches • Saltillo (captial of CyT) Why didn’t Mexico have the Mexicans move into Texas? Why did they bring in Americans? • They would have been too far from Mexico City and “civilization” • The Natives were hostile… it was safer to stay home Nacogdoches San Antonio Goliad Saltillo

MosesAustin • Born in Connecticut, Moses Austin moved to present-day Missouri in 1798 when that area of Louisiana still belonged to Spain. He swore allegiance to Spain and was granted one league (4,428 acres of land). As a result, he was familiar with Spanish laws and regulations.He additionally had a good relations with Spanish officials. • Moses founded and was part owner of the Bank of St. Louis and in 1803, when the U.S. approved the Louisiana Purchase, it became a U.S. bank. • In 1819, a depression ruined Austin’s banking business. Austin believed he could charge settlers to create a colony in Texas

MosesAustin • In 1820, Moses arrived in San Antonio, but was ordered away by Spanish governor Antonio Maria Martinez. • With the help of an influential friend in San Antonio, Baron de Bastrop, Moses Austin who had converted to Catholicism, pitched the idea that Mexico Texas economy would benefit from a colony and a presence of a colony would protect from Native Indian attack and U.S border disputes. • In 1821, Moses Austin got permission from the Spanish government to settle 300 Catholic American families from Louisiana into Mexican Texas.

Stephen F. Austin • He continued his father’s colonization plan after his death.

Stephen F. Austin • He mapped the territory he wanted, presented it to the governor, and began advertising for settlers. Each person was granted land based upon family size and slave count. They paid Austin for the land.

**Requirements** • “No drunkard, no gambler, no profane swearer, no idler” would be allowed in the colony.

Austin interviewed the settlers and chose the people he thought would be the best for a settlement. If you had an especially useful job (merchant, doctor, mill and ferry operators) they would get extra land) Each settler paid Austin $0.12 an acre

After securing his contract with Mexico, Austin traveled around Texas and found what he thought was the best land for settling What are some things that make land good for settling?

The deal that Stephen F. Austin worked out with Spanish (and then Mexican) officials included the following: • 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 • Settlers who were farmers received one labor or 177 acres. • Those who raised cattle received one sitio or 4,428 acres. • Many received BOTH.

Settlers of Texas were required to become citizens of Mexico, take an oath of allegiance to Mexico, and become Catholic.

**Land Policy** • Land would cost 12.5¢ per acre. • Every man would receive 640 acres. • His wife would receive 320 acres. • Each child would receive 160 acres. • Each slave would receive 80 acres.

With farmland being so cheap, Austin had no problem attracting settlers.

Austin’s First Colony • Austin’s choice for his first colony was between the Colorado and the Brazos Rivers. • Austin’s colony included a port because he knew he would need it to get settlers and supplies to the colony. • It had fertile soil, abundant water, natural resources, mild climate, animals to hunt and no other settleme ship, the Lively to take people and supplies to the new colony from New Orleans .

Colony Location “One of our group went hunting and killed the fattest deer I ever saw in my life. We started about nine o’clock, continued a north course along the large body of timber which lay to our right. Prairies of the richest kind of black sandy land, intersected by branches and creeks of excellent water—heavily timbered, beautifully rolling.” –Stephen F. Austin, September 19, 1821

Problems in the Colony • Austin goes to Mexico City and finds out that the Mexicans had won their independence. They did not recognize Austin’s right to colonize Texas. Austin spent a year in Mexico City until he received his land grant based on him being an empresario (land agent whose job it is to bring settlers into an area). • Under a new law, each family could only receive a maximum of 4,605 acres of land. • Stephen F. Austin would receive 100,000 acres of land for serving as an empresario.

Problems in the Colony • The Karankawas and Tonkawas raided the colony stealing horses and cattle. To protect themselves, the colonist formed a militia (temporary army unit)

Why Austin’s Colonies Succeeded • From the beginning Stephen F. Austin demonstrated his ability to deal successfully with the Mexican authorities • His colonists had little difficulty getting land titles since Austin had such a good system.

Why Austin’s Colonies Succeeded • The area Austin chose had some of the best farming soil and since that was what so many people wanted, it was not hard to attract settlers. • The Natives became less of a threat.

The Colony Gets a Capital • Austin decided that the west bank of the Brazos, where the Old San Antonio Road crosses the river, would be a good location for the new colony’s capital. • In July 1824, the town was officially organized and named San Felipe de Austin.

Major Empresario Grants Empresario Location Capital Problems Successes Stephen F. Austin (Father of Texas) Between the Colorado and Brazos Rivers San Felipe de Austin Drought Tonkawa & Karankawa Lively shipwrecked Disputes over boundaries Mexican gov’t revoked right to settle Convinced Mexican gov’t to let him settle Father of TX – 1st colonize Americans Settled nearly 300 families Green DeWitt West of Austin’s 1st Colony Gonzales Native American Raids Settled 166 families 2nd in number to Austin Martin De Leon South of De Witt along the Guadalupe-Near the coast Victoria Native American Raids Forced to leave TX because of anti-Mexican sentiments Did a lot to promote the cattle industry in Texas Victoria important center for trade between Mexico and Texas Power and Hewetson South of De Leon along the Gulf Coast Refugio Irish Native American Raids Irish Refugio was built on the site of an old Spanish Mission McMullen and McGloin Along the Gulf Coast San Patricio Irish Irish

While you could come to Texas without the help of an empresario, most families didn’t. Why not? • Most settlers could not speak Spanish and needed the empresarios help getting the title to their land • Most of the desirable land was held by the empresarios After Austin opened the door… many more men came to Texas to make money as an empresario… these men brought hundreds of American families to Texas… Population of Texas in 1821 (When SFA started): 7,000 Population of Texas in 1833 (around the end of empresarios) 20,000 HOW DO YOU THINK THIS CHANGE IN POPULATION AFFECTED THE HISTORY OF TEXAS?

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 San Felipe de Austin Gonzales San Antonio Goliad Saltillo

G.T.T. – “Gone to Texas” • Written above abandoned cabins to let others know where to find them (if they went looking, of course)

Settlers came to Texas for many reasons: • Seeking adventure • Escaping problems in the U.S. • Attracted by plenty of cheap land ($1.25 vs. $0.25)

Colonists came on horseback, covered wagons, boats, and even on foot! (Limited supplies) • Early Texas colonists were mostly from MEXICO and EUROPE by way of the U.S. • African American population grew as settlers brought slaves. Even though Mexico made slavery illegal in 1829, it was not enforced. • Mexican law did protect free African Americans….which would come back to haunt them!

Diet Many resources available Some brought staples w/them Very unbalanced diets due to growing seasons Corn*** Homes Land offered various materials Dog trot or dog run cabins Dirt floors, later elevated due to snakes Handmade furniture Colonial Life

Religion/Education Had to agree or become Catholic for land grants, but very few priests in TX, so they can worship as they please No real system of education as they got started, most taught at home by parents. Colonial Life cont.

It wasn’t all FUN & GAMES! • DISEASE – far from doctors w/out medical training. Opted for homemade remedies. • CONFLICT w/NATIVES – some treaties were formed but fear drove Austin to create a militia to fight off raids (Texas Rangers) • TENSIONS w/MEXICO – related to people not giving 100% efforts to the requirements

Age of Empresarios