Mexican Independence
This county controlled Texas before Mexico gained independence
Spain
He carried out his father's settlement plan and became a major empresario.
Stephen F Austin
What was the main job of an empresario?
Recruit settlers and help establish a colony.
Name one natural resource settlers needed to build a successful community.
Water, fertile soil, timber, or another reasonable resource.
What could happen when settlers and government officials have different expectations about laws?
Disagreement or tension could develop.
The priest called for rebellion against Spanish rule in 1810
He established a Mexican colony centered around Victoria.
Martin De Leon
Why did Mexico encourage people to settle in Texas?
To increase the population and strengthen control of the territory.
Why might settlers build farms near a reliable water source?
Water is needed for people, animals, and crops.
How could the arrival of more settlers help Mexico but also create challenges?
It could increase settlement and strengthen control, but it could also make the territory harder to manage as cultural and political differences emerged.
What was Moses Austin's connection to Stephen F Austin's role in Texas History?
Moses Austin developed the original plan to bring settlers to Texas, and Stephen F. Austin carried out the plan after his father's death.
What were two important things an empresario had to do to help establish a colony?
Recruit settlers and help organize the colony.
Why would settlers want to establish a colony near a reliable river?
Rivers provide water for people, animals, and crops. They can also support transportation.
What was one effect of Mexico encouraging settlers to move to Texas?
More people moved to Texas, and new communities developed.
The Battle of Medina took place in 1813, but Mexico did not gain independence until 1821. What does this tell us about Mexico's fight for independence?
The fight for independence lasted for years, and the defeat at Medina did not end the entire movement.
Which empresario established a Mexican colony centered around Victoria, Texas?
Martín de León.
Why might Mexico have used empresarios instead of having government officials personally recruit every family moving to Texas?
Empresarios could recruit families and organize colonies, helping Mexico encourage settlement across a large territory.
A colony has fertile soil but no reliable water source. What problem might settlers face, and how could it affect their success?
They might struggle to grow crops and provide water for people and animals. This could make the colony less successful.
How could differences between Mexican laws and the expectations of some Anglo-American settlers lead to disagreements?
Settlers might want to maintain familiar customs or expectations, while Mexican officials expected them to follow Mexican laws. These differences could cause tension.
How did Mexico gaining independence in 1821 change the government that controlled Texas?
Texas went from being controlled by Spain to being part of independent Mexico.
How did Stephen F. Austin and Martín de León both contribute to the settlement of Texas, even though their colonies were different?
Both helped establish colonies and bring settlers to Texas. Stephen F. Austin organized a major Anglo-American colony, while Martín de León established a Mexican colony centered around Victoria.
Explain how the empresario system could help Mexico achieve its goals while also creating challenges for the government.
It helped attract settlers and develop communities, but the growing population and differences in customs, expectations, and laws could make Texas more difficult to govern.
Two groups want to establish a colony. One chooses land near water and fertile soil, while the other chooses dry, rocky land far from water. Which location is likely to support farming more easily, and why?
The location near water and fertile soil is likely to support farming more easily because crops need water and suitable soil to grow. Other factors, such as flooding, would also matter.
Mexico wanted more settlers to strengthen its control over Texas. Explain how this plan could eventually make governing Texas more difficult.
More settlers could help develop communities and increase the population, but the growing population could also bring different customs, expectations, and disagreements over government authority, making Texas more difficult to manage.