February 13 2015 The Captured Review Pages 29 and 30 Page 65 and 66 o Comanche German Treaty o Medicine Lodge Treaty Test Top four not bottom two on the handout Three to five questions on book Majority on lectures Green Scantron A few on documentaries The Empresarios and Turmoil in Texas Green DeWitt and Martin de Leon were empresarios whose territories bordered each other o Caused problems Why Anglo American Colonization in Texas o 1821 1835 o Land o U S annexation Inexpensive 1 25 an acre in America but with fees titles and all that land in Texas was only 0 05 an acre They truly believed that East Texas would be annexed to the United States Once the land was annexed this would stimulate immigration and they could sell of parcels of their land and make money o Debts Between the U S government and the Mexican government there were no reciprocal agreements that enabled creditors to collect debts or return fugitives Texas became a safe haven for debtors o The empresarios land agents contractors recruiters Acted as a middleman between the settlers and the Mexican government The Empresarios o Stephen Austin The Old 300 arrived in 1822 He was the most successful Texas empresario Made for 6 year contracts between the years of 1823 and 1828 for a potential 1 200 families Religion Land The first 300 families must profess themselves as Catholic Imperial Colonization Law Permitted slavery Slavery as an institution in Texas began with Stephen Austin s colony A census in 1825 showed a total population of 1 800 in his colony 443 were recorded as slaves Empresario did not own the land Land was issued by a land commissioner It was quite a lengthy business actually getting the titles because Saltillo was so far away Austin was burdened with more duties than other empresarios because he had to set up more processes Administration o Local were in position to make alcades like justices of the peace and also to install a council called an ayuntamiento settled lawsuits supervised doctors regulated lawyers surveyed and gave authority for roads ferries etc like a town council Defense o Local militia to defend the colony against local Indian groups Capital of Austin s colony is San Felipe o Martin de Leon o Green DeWitt Native of a small town in Mexico He will name the town over the first president of Mexico Guadalupe Victoria 1824 received permission to establish a town for 41 families Settles the town on the banks of the Guadalupe River We now know the town as Victoria Actual grant does not make clear the boundaries so he will have conflict with the neighboring empresario DeWitt Inspired by Austin s success in obtaining a grant to establish a colony in Texas Awarded a grant in 1825 to settle 400 Anglo Americans on the bank of the Guadalupe River Supported by his wife s money Sara Seely DeWitt o Sold her own property to get her husband the money Numerous disputes concerning the boundary issue with Leon Successfully established a colony but was unable to fulfill his contract for 400 families so his contract was not renewed and he lost the grant Sara s husband had failed to get his contract renewed o Haden Edwards Women and men as head of families could obtain land ground She petitioned for a league of land in her maiden name because of her husband s failed venture She was successful in 1831 She wanted to protect her family from poverty due to her husband s misfortunes DeWitt died in 1835 Battle of Gonzales involved Sara DeWitt and her daughter Naomi Naomi had been married and still had her wedding dress Local residents were protecting their cannon Sara and Naomi ripped up the wedding dress to make a Come and take it flag The land grant was adjacent to the Austin colony Specified as a contract for 800 Anglo American families However it was very close to Nacogdoches and there were still residents on this land from earlier homesteads built in the area He reached Nacogdoches in 1825 and he threatened to remove them from their land if they couldn t show proof of ownership which they couldn t The residents complained against Edwards The state canceled his empresario contract Had a brother called Benjamin At the time of the cancellation in October 1826 Haden was out recruiting colonists in Mississippi Benjamin was in Texas and gained supporters to protest the cancellation of his contract o Rode into Nacogdoches and declared independence from Haden returns Mexico o Declared his land grant the Republic of Fredonia This is called the Fredonian Rebellion 1826 1827 Mexican soldiers were sent to the area and they were accompanied by Austin s Both Benjamin and Haden fled to the United States ending the Fredonian Rebellion The rebellion arouses suspicion and uneasiness in Mexico Here is an empresario that called for independence from Mexico with militia Anglo American settlers o Benjamin Lundy An abolitionist Wants the abolition of slavery Member of the anti slavery movement From New Jersey Became very active in the anti slavery movement in the 1820 s He believed that the problem of slavery could be solved by settling free African Americans in a thinly populated region Lundy visits Texas three times hoping to gain land for a free African American colony Concludes that Texas is an ideal place for his experiment Mexicans are very friendly to this proposal However the Texas Revolution intervened before Lundy could carry out his plans The Republic of Texas will legalize slavery Domestic Turmoil Guadalupe Victoria s Presidency 1824 1828 Not quite yet political parties but they kind of look like political parties o Continuing fiscal social problems Corrupt officials o Federalists and Centralists Struggle develops o Federalists Limited central government Dominated by criollos and mestizos Dividing power Between a central government and the states Protect democracy o Centralists Strong central government Army church wealthy landowners Argues that Mexico was not yet strong enough to divide power o Vice President Bravo s Revolt 1827 o Vicente Guerrero s election Nicholas Bravo revolted against President Victoria The actual revolt was a complete fiasco and will be put down by Generals Santa Anna and Vicente Guerrero who supported the federalists at this point although Santa Anna changed his colors many time Sets a precedent for a military coup Victoria completes his term to 1828 1828 1829 Federalist His Vice President was Anastacio Bustamante Abolishes all slavery by decree in 1829 1829 Spanish Threat Spain and Europe did not
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