Empresarios

Empresarios

Mexico offered land grants to immigrants inviting them Texas to settle.

Mexico - 1821 to 1824

After Mexico won its independence, a man named Augustin de Iturbide took total control and ran the country as a dictator.

In 1824, the people of Mexico finally got rid of him and made a new constitution giving the people more power.

Mexican Constitution of 1824

• Mexico established a new government. It was a republic, in which representatives elected from each state run the government.

• Catholicism was named the official religion of Mexico

• Slavery was outlawed in Mexico

• The states of Texas and Coahuila were combined

Multiple Select

What is TRUE of the Mexican Constitution of 1824 and the government it created? (Check ALL that are correct)

• It created a monarchy

• It created a republic

• It allowed slavery in Mexico

• It established Catholicism as the official religion

Increasing the Population of Texas

Most Mexican citizens did not want to live in Texas. It was far from most Mexican cities, like Mexico City. Texas was considered wild and dangerous frontier, filled with aggressive Native Americans and very little civilization.

The Mexican government wanted to encourage people to settle in Texas in order to improve the economy and protect the land from people who would try to steal it. The Mexican government decided to invite immigrants to settle in Texas by offering land grants in exchange for certain things.

Multiple Choice

Why did most Mexican citizens NOT want to live in Texas?

• It was too hot

• It had no valuable resources

• It was overpopulated

• It was a frontier, far from most Mexican cities

The Colonization Laws

• Immigrants settling in Texas must become Catholic

• They must become Mexican citizens

• They must not own slaves

• They must be of good moral character

• They must have a useful job or skill to improve the economy

Multiple Choice

What was NOT a requirement of empresarios moving to Texas?

• They must speak Spanish

• They must become Mexican citizens

• They must be Catholic

• They must have a valuable skill or job

Stephen F. Austin

Stephen F. Austin was the first American empresario to bring families to settle in Texas. His father, Moses, had the first land grant, but he got sick and died. Stephen took over for his father and settled the families himself.

He brought 300 families to Texas. These families were given the nickname "The Old 300." Austin was known as "The Father of Texas" for bring ing the first families.

Multiple Choice

What was Stephen F. Austin known as?

• The Old 300

• The Father of Texas

• The Third Empresario

• Old Moses

Erasmo Seguin

Erasmo Seguin was a Tejano empresario. Seguin represented Texas at the Mexican Constitutional Convention in 1824.

When Mexico decided to invite immigrants to Texas, Seguin helped locate the land that Stephen F. Austin and his families would settle.

Seguin himself settled in Bexar, near present-day San Antonio.

Multiple Choice

What is NOT true of Erasmo Seguin?

• He represented Texas at the Constitutional Convention

• He settled in Bexar near present day San Antonio

• He helped find land for Stephen F. Austin

• He was known as The Father of Texas

Green DeWitt

Green DeWitt was an Anglo American empresario who received a grant to settle 400 families in Texas.

He settled 166 families near present-day Gonzales Texas. Despite this accomplishment, he failed to settle the 400 promised families and his land grant was later not renewed.  

Multiple Choice

Green DeWitt settled 166 families near ________________, Texas

• San Antonio

• Austin

• Gonzales

• Victoria

Martin de Leon

Martín de León was a wealthy Mexican citizen who had served in the military. He moved to Tejas in 1801, and when Mexico offered land grants he saw an opportunity to ensure his children and descendants would have land in Texas.

De León settled 200 families in the town his wife founded. This town was called Victoria, Texas.

Multiple Choice

Martin de Leon's wife established the Texas town of ____________

• El Paso

• Gonzales

• Victoria

• San Antonio