How did colonization laws change under the independent government of Mexico?
• Mexican independence led to internal conflict over how the country should be governed.
• The Federalists, or those who believed in the sharing of power between the state and national lawmakers, ultimately formed the new government.
• The federal government passed a colonization law in 1824 allowing states to make their own decisions about land grants, although it did include some federal restrictions.
• The following year, the state legislature of Saltillo passed its own colonization law
What was Coahuila y Tejas? (Under the Mexican federal Constitution of 1824, Coahuila y Tejas was a state made by combining the Spanish provinces of Coahuila and Texas.)
Why was Austin a successful empresario?
• Austin had so much success with his first colony that he was granted several additional land contracts.
• A dispute arose over Austin’s last contract, and Texas courts eventually decided against Austin.
• Overall, good leadership and excellent resources made Austin one of the most successful empresarios in Texas.
About how many families did Stephen F. Austin bring to Texas? Describe how you arrived at your answer. (Austin brought some 1,200 families to Texas: 300 from the first colony + 500 in 1825 + 100 in 1827 + 300 in 1828 = 1,200.)
How did empresarios other than Austin help to settle Texas?
• The opportunity to become an empresario and the promise of inexpensive land contributed to the continued growth of Texas through the Mexican National era.
• Although Green DeWitt encountered many setbacks, his is considered the second most successful Anglo American colony in Texas.
• Martín De León’s colony was the only one in Texas to be settled mainly by Mexican families.
How did Green DeWitt contribute to the settlement of Texas? (DeWitt was an empresario who brought over 500 Anglo American settlers to his colony in Texas. His colony is considered the second most successful Anglo American colony in Texas.)