Mexican Independence and the Empresario Era

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European-born Spaniards

Top of the social pyramid

American-born Spaniards

Second highest class on the social pyramid

Born of Spanish and Native Indians

Third tier of the social pyramid

Born in America without and Spanish heritage

Lowest social group in the Spanish colonies

Organize these options into the right categories

Peninsulae

Criollo

Mestizos

Native Population

A New Constitution for Mexico

After Mexican leader Augustin de Iturbide lost power, the Mexican people wanted a change of government. They called for a constitutional assembly to draft a new constitution. Representing Texas was Erasmo Seguin of San Antonio. On October 24, 1824, the assembly officially adopted the Federal Constitution of 1824.

A New Constitution for Mexico

Under the new constitution, Mexico became a republic, a government in which people elect their leaders. Power was divided between the national government, headed by a president, and individual state governments. This division of power between levels of government is called federalism.

Dropdown

​Mexico's new constitution is known as the ​

Select answer

.

Match

Match the correct term with the correct defintion

• Power divided between national government, headed by a president, and individual state governments

• a government in which people elect their leaders

• Federal Constitution of 1824

federalism

republic

Mexico's new government document

• federalism

• republic

• Mexico's new government document

A New Constitution for Mexico

Many Texans were not happy with this union. Seguin had argued against it in the assembly. He feared that Coahuila, which had a much larger population than Texas did, would dominate state politics. At the same time, Texas was not ready to be a state on its own. Instead, Seguin believed, Texas should become a territory.

A New Constitution for Mexico

When Seguin and Texas leader learned that as a territory Texas would not control its own affairs, they agreed to a merger with Coahuila.
In the end, Seguin's fears proved somewhat justified. When the state's legislature met at the capital, 10-12 members were from Coahuila with only 2 from Texas.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was a result of the Mexican Constitution of 1824?

• Texas became a separate state.
• Texas was given 12 representatives in the state legislature.
• Texas and Coahuila were united into a Mexican state.
• Texas was divided into 4 territories.

Multiple Choice

The creation of Coahuila Y Tejas as a single state under the Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824 resulted in __.

• Political tensions that divided the region

• An end to immigration from the U.S.

• More slaves being imported into Texas

• More war with Native Americans

Multiple Choice

INFER: What is the difference between a state and a territory?

• A state controls its own affairs, while a territory does not

• A territory controls its own affairs, while a state does not

• A state controls its own affairs, with input from a territory

• A territory controls its own affairs, with input from a state

Open Ended

Reading Check:

Why were some Texans opposed to unification with Coahuila?

TTQA and complete sentences are required.

Mexico's New Colonization Laws

One concern of the new Mexican government was immigration. The National Colonization Law of 1824 allowed each Mexican state to set its own colonization policies. The law did create some new limits on immigrants though. Unlike Stephen F. Austin, new U.S. immigrants could not establish colonies near the nation's borders or along the coast. Mexico hoped this restriction would help protect its northern territory

Labelling

Label the following places

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Department Brazos

Galveston Bay

Saltillo

San Antonio

Department of Bexar

Department of Nacogdoches

Mexico's New Colonization Laws

As a state, Coahuila y Texas had its own immigration policy. The Baron de Bastrop and other well-to-do Tejanos wanted to see3 Texas grow. They hoped the U.S. settlers and other immigrants would provide protection against American Indians. They also believed that new settlement would raise land values in the region and provide new markets for Tejano merchants. These beliefs led the Mexican Congress to pass the State Colonization Law of 1825. This law further opened Texas to Settlement and immigrations.

Multiple Choice

How did the State Colonization Law of 1825 affect Texas?

• Settlers could only gain land through an empresario.
• Only non-Catholics were allowed to move to Texas.
• Settlers to speak Spanish before they could move to Texas.
• Foreigners were invited to immigrate to Texas.

Multiple Select

What were some of the reasons for passing the State Colonization Law of 1825. Select all that are correct.

• further opened Mexico to settlement and immigration

• provide protection against American Indians

• new settlements would raise land value

• provide new markets for Tejano merchants

Mexico's New Colonization Laws

Under the new colonization law, many people followed in the footsteps of Stephen F. Austin and became empresarios. These business people promoted settlement in Texas. New settlers would not have to pay taxes for 10 years, however the law required that settlers would have to convert to Catholicism, become Mexican citizens, and be of good moral character.

Multiple Choice

What was the major difference between Spanish and Anglo colonization of Texas?

• Anglo settlers followed empresarios with land grants

• Anglo settlers only settled along the Rio Grande

• Anglo settlers helped Spanish Priests build missions

• Anglo settled missions and presidios with land grants

Multiple Choice

The Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824 created a representative government but did not allow ____.

• Freedom of Religion

• Ownership of private property

• Businesses to be owned by Anglo settlers

• War and Torture

Dropdown

​ ​ An​

Select answer

was a person contracted by the Mexican government to recruit and settle families in ​

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Multiple Choice

What was the reason that so many American and Mexican families migrated to Texas in the 1820s?

• To find cheap farm land

• Freedom of Religion

• To search for the 7 Cities of Gold

• To build missions and forts for England

Multiple Choice

How did Mexican officials try to maintain Mexican culture in the Anglo colonies?

• Required settlers to practice the Catholic religion

• Required Anglo settlers to eat Spanish food

• Gave Anglo settlers tests in Spanish

• Anglos were required to learn to read and write Spanish

Tejano Leadership

The empresario system helped lead to a population boom in Texas. By 1834 an estimated 24,700 settlers lived in the region up from only a few thousand in 1821. Tejano empresarios like Martin De Leon helped encourage some Mexican migration to Texas, but Mexican migration to Texas was limited, and Anglo settlers soon outnumbered Tejanos three to one.

Tejano Leadership

In the beginning, most Tejanos were eager to increase migration to Texas. They believed that American settlers would help improve the economy of Texas. Many Tejanos, including Erasmo Seguin, wanted to develop a cotton industry in Texas. For such an industry to succeed, they thought they would need experts and workers from the United States.

Tejano Leadership

The question of cotton led to a division among Tejanos. In the United States, most labor on cotton plantations was provided by slaves. To develop an American-style cotton industry in Texas, would mean introducing slavery to Texas. Some Tejano leaders viewed slavery as necessary for the economic success of Texas. Both Seguin and Jose Antonio Navarro supported the idea of cotton plantations bringing slaves to Texas while others were opposed to bringing slavery into Texas.

Multiple Choice

What was the effect on Texas when cotton was introduced?

• Mexico restricted immigration to Texas

• Texas started to import slaves

• Mexico outlawed slavery and allowed more immigration into Texas to work the cotton fields

• Texas restricted the sale of slaves

The Empresario Colonies

One successful empresarios was Green DeWitt. In 1825 he received a contract to settle 400 families in Texas. DeWitt's colony was located along the Guadalupe River. Gonzales was its main town. The settlements location exposed it to Indian attacks, and the people had few comforts. despite these hardships, more than 525 people lived there by 1831. Remember Green-> Gonzales-> Guadalupe River -3Gs

The Empresario Colonies

In hopes of increasing Mexican migration to Texas, officials sought out Tejano empresarios. Tejano colonies received privileges, such as a the first choice of available lands. Despite these privileges, only a few Tejano leaders accepted contracts. Tejano leader Martin de Leon was the only empresario to found a colony primarily of Mexican settlers; the town was Victoria.

Multiple Choice

What was one advantage that a Tejano empresario had over an Anglo empresarios?

• Tejano empresarios bought land at a cheaper price than Anglo empresarios.

• Tejano empresarios got first choice on the lands they wanted.

• Tejano empresarios received more land than Anglo empresarios

• Tejano empresarios did not have to pay taxes on the land they bought.

The Empresario Colonies

Despite some hardships the colony thrived. It soon developed into a major ranching center. The colony also served as an important trade center. Much of this trade was conducted through the town of Linnville, founded in 1831, it became an important Texas port.

The Empresario Colonies

Another Tejano who took advantage of the government's offer was Lorenzo de Zavala. A wealthy citizen of Mexico City, he got permission in 1829 to build a settlement on the Sabine River south of Nacogdoches. Before long, though , he sold his contract and abandoned he idea.

Multiple Choice

In which region were the most successful land grants in Texas located?

• Coastal Plains

• Mountains and Basins

• Great Plains

• Central Plains

Match

Match the empresario with the town they founded

• Gonzales

• Victoria

• Sabine River area

Green DeWitt

Martin DeLeon

Lorenzo de Zavala

• Green DeWitt

• Martin DeLeon

• Lorenzo de Zavala