Anglo American Anglo American Colonization of TexasColonization of Texas
Chapter 8Chapter 8
• Interest in Texas Grows among Anglo Americans
– The United States won it’s independence from Great Britain (England) in 1783
– Americans began moving west to settle new lands
• Some of these new settlers were Filibusters– An adventurer who engages
in a private rebellious activity in a foreign country
• Phillip Nolan– “Captured wild horses” in
Texas and sold them in the U.S.
– Spain grew suspicious of him and told him not to return in 1800
– He ignored the warning
– In 1801 he was killed in a battle with Spanish soldiers near present day Waco
Filibusters
• Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition
Filibusters• Neutral Ground Agreement
– In 1800 France reclaimed the Louisiana Territory from Spain
– In 1803 France sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States
– To avoid conflicts over the new border Spain and the US compromised
– The Agreement created a neutral zone between Arroyo Hondo River and Sabine River
• Stopped border clashes between US and Spain
• Created a shelter for outlaws
– Bernardo Gutierrez was a supporter of Father Hidalgo
– Augustus Magee was an ex-United States soldier
– Together they invaded Texas, in 1812, with a small army and declared it independent of Spain• They captured Nacogdoches, La
Bahía, and San Antonio, but Magee died in the fighting
• The force was eventually attacked and defeated at the Battle of Medina by Spanish General Joaquin de Arredondo
• Nearly all where killed
– Louis Michel Aury• Pirate who lived on Galveston
Island
• He agreed to help the few survivors of the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition attack Mexico
– They were unsuccessful
– Jean Lafitte
• Pirates
Filibusters• Adams-Onís Treaty
– In 1817 Spain was angry because the U.S. had entered Spanish Florida while fighting Native Americans
– In 1819 the problem was resolved by the Adams-Onís Treaty
• Spain gave Florida to the U.S.• Set the eastern border of Texas
at the Sabine River and the northern at the Red River
• U.S. gave up all claims to Texas
• While Aury was away Lafitte took over Galveston Island
• He pirated Spanish and later American ships in the Gulf of Mexico
• The US Navy eventually drove Lafitte from Texas
Filibusters• James Long
– Led an expedition into Texas in 1819 to declare Texas independent from Spain
• Long’s forces were defeated at Nacogdoches and a second unsuccessful attack against La Bahía ended in Long’s capture
• Long was imprisoned in Mexico City and shot in 1822
– Long was the last to lead a major filibuster into Texas
• Jane Long– When James Long was killed he
left behind a child and his pregnant wife
– Jane survived the winter of 1821 alone
• She fought off a Karankawa attack
• She also gave birth to a daughter
– In the spring of 1822 Jane returned to the U.S. but she would return
– Today she is known as the “Mother of Texas” because she was one of the first pioneer women in Texas History
Empresarios• Moses Austin
– In the late 1700’s Moses Austin moved his family from the U.S. to George Morgan’s Colony in Spanish Missouri
• He started a lead mine and became very wealthy
– In 1803 Missouri became part of the U.S. through the Louisiana Purchase
– In 1819 a financial panic hit the U.S. and Moses Austin lost his fortune
• Austin remembered the success he experienced living in Spanish Territory and decided to try starting over in Texas
– Moses Austin traveled to San Antonio, Texas in 1820
• Governor Martínez said NO!– Spain did not trust Austin because of the
recent Anglo Filibusters
– Austin prepared to return to the U.S. when he met and shared his idea with Baron de Bastrop who was an influential citizen of San Antonio
• Baron de Bastrop arranged another meeting with Martínez
– This time Martínez agreed to send Austin’s request to a higher authority
– Expecting approval from Spain, Moses Austin began the long journey home
• On the way Moses Austin was robbed and developed pneumonia
• He made it home but was in bad shape
– Moses Austin presented his idea to Texas Governor Antonio Martínez
• He wanted to bring Anglo settlers to Spanish Texas
• Moses Austin’s dying wish was for his son Stephen F Austin to carry out his dream
• Stephen F Austin– Was 27 years old and living in Arkansas, where he was pursuing a legal career– When he learned of his fathers dying wish he traveled to Texas to meet with Governor Martínez
Empresarios
– The area had good soil and lots of rain– Stephen Austin’s first settlement on the
Brazos River would be named San Felipe de Austin
– SFA then traveled to New Orleans to begin recruiting colonists
• Approval– When Moses Austin arrived home he learned that Spain had given him permission to settle 300 Anglo families in Texas
• Moses Austin would never bring settlers to Texas
– The pneumonia he developed was killing him
– Governor Martínez legally transferred Moses Austin’s Land Grant to Stephen F Austin in 1821– Next Stephen had to choose the best location for his colony
• Austin chose a location between the Lavaca and San Jacinto Rivers
• Austin required all colonists to:1. Pledge their loyalty to Spain2. Become Catholic3. Have good character4. Be able to provide for themselves5. Be willing to accept hard times
• The Old Three Hundred • Early Problems– Austin purchased a boat (The Lively) to
transport colonist to Texas• The Lively brought the settlers to the
Brazos instead of the Colorado River– Some frustrated colonists returned to
the U.S.
– Drought– Attacks by the Karankawas
• Despite these problems Austin’s Colony prospered
• In 1822 Austin faced his biggest challenge yet– Austin learned that Mexico had gained
it’s independence from Spain– Austin’s land grant had been issued by
Spain not Mexico
Empresarios
• Land– Farmers receive 177 acres– Ranchers receive 4,428 acres
– The name given to the original 300 families to move to Austin’s Colony
• Jane Long• Jared Groce• Robert M Williamson
– “Three-Legged Willie
• Cost– The cost of land in the U.S. was $1.25 per acre
2– Austin offered land a 12.5¢ per acre
13
United StatesUnited States
TexasTexas
• Mexico City– Stephen F Austin made the 1,000 mile journey to Mexico City in hopes of securing his land grant
• Austin would remain in Mexico City for an entire year
– While there he learned to speak Spanish and gained the trust of Mexican officials
• Empresario Austin
Empresarios
– Stephen F Austin was made an empresario (land agent) by the new Mexican government
– Austin received additional land– Austin’s colonist’s where exempted
from paying taxes– Colonists were given homestead
rights
• It stood for Gone To Texas
– By 1830 the Texas population had grown to 20,000
• “The Father of Texas”– The nickname given to Stephen F Austin because he was the first and most successful empresario
• Other Empresarios– Green DeWitt
• 2nd most important Empresario• Founded town of Gonzales in 1825
– Martin de Leon• Settled Mexican families in Texas• Founded town of Victoria in 1829
• G.T.T.– Became a common sight in on doors across the U.S. in the 1820’s
Texas Population
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