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