Age of Empresarios

1
Age of Empresarios
2
Moses Austin

• In 1821, he paved the way for Anglo American
  colonization of Texas. With the help of an
  influential friend in San Antonio, Moses Austin
  was able to get the Spanish government to allow
  300 American families to settle in Texas.

3
Stephen F. Austin

• He continued his fathers colonization plan after
  his death.

4
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.

5
Austins Colony
6
Stephen F. Austin

• Settlers of Texas were required to become
  citizens of their new country, take an oath of
  allegiance to Spain (later Mexico), and become
  Catholic.
• With farmland being that cheep, Austin had no
  problem attracting settlers.

7

• A supply ship wrecked carrying much needed
  supplies and the colonists had to adapt.

8
Problems in the Colony

• Austin goes to Mexico City and finds out that the
  Mexicans had won their independence. They did
  not recognize Austins 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).

9
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)

10
Why Austins Colonies Succeeded

• Stephen F. Austin from the beginning demonstrated
  that his ability to deal successfully with the
  Mexican authorities
• His colonists had little difficulty getting land
  titles since Austin had such a good system.

11
Why Austins 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.

12
The Constitution of 1824

• March 19, 1823, Mexican emperor Agustin de
  Iturbide was over thrown.
• 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
13
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 Texas were united as one Mexican
  state.

14
(No Transcript)
15
The Constitution of 1824

• Baron de Bastrop was chosen as the first
  representative from Texas.