Warm Up

1. Warm Up • Define Depression Survey Empresario Militia

2. The 1stEmpresario of Texas Moses Austin

3. Moses Austin • Born October 4, 1761 in Durham, Connecticut. • Was a very wealthy businessman/banker for the first part of his life until 1819 when he lost all of his fortune. • In 1819, the United State’s Banking system failed and many people lost every penny.

4. Moses Austin • In 1820, Moses Austin traveled to the Presido San Antonio de Bexar to meet with the Governor of the Spanish Texas area. • His plan was to bring and settle Texas with Anglo-American settlers. • Because of filibusters attacking, the Governor rejected his plan.

5. Moses Austin • After being rejected, Austin met with an old friend of his, Felipe Enrique Neri, Baronof Bastrop (whoalsolived in San Antonio). • Felipe helpedconvincetheSpanishtogrant Austin permissiontosettlewith Anglo-American settlers. • In 1821, Moses Austin gotpermissiontobring 300 familiesto Texas.

6. Moses Austin • On his trip back to the United States, Moses Austin becomes sick (with pneumonia) and eventually dies. • His son, Stephen F. Austin takes on his father’s work and begins to continue to carry out Moses’ plan to colonize Texas.

7. Stephen F. Austin and the Empresarios

8. Agenda Warm Up Lecture/Questions Letter Reading Activity(if time allows)

9. United States Spain (until 1821) and Mexico

10. United States Mexico

11. Towns already in Texas when Moses Austin showed up • San Antonio • Goliad • Nacogdoches • Saltillo (captial of CyT) • Why didn’t Mexico have the Mexicans move into Texas? Why did they bring in Americans? • They would have been too far from Mexico City and “civilization” • The Natives were hostile… it was safer to stay home Nacogdoches San Antonio Goliad Saltillo

12. Empresarios – The Beginning The Spanish word for a land agent whose job it was to bring in new settlers to an area. Ok Dad… I’ll carry out your plans for settling Texas. Moses Austin (Stephen F. Austin’s Father) Stephen F. Austin • The first Anglo American to get permission from Spain to bring American settlers to Texas • Lived in Missouri until a depression hit the U.S. and he lost all his money • Went to Texas to ask the Spanish government if he could have a contract to bring Americans to settle Texas • The Spanish were suspicious that Austin was really there to grab land until Baron de Bastrop convinced the Spanish officials otherwise • Then… Moses Austin died

13. How It Worked… Stephen F. Austin was the first to get his contract approved by the Spanish (and then the Mexican) government… so he was the first EMPRESARIO (he was also the most successful) Each empresario would sign a contract with the government of Mexico whereby they promised to settle a certain number of families (in Austin’s first contract he was supposed to settle 300 families)

14. How It Worked… REQUIREMENTS FOR SETTLING IN TEXAS: • You had to become a citizen of your new country (Spain, and later Mexico) • You had to become Catholic • You had to be of good moral character Each settler paid Austin $0.12 an acre

15. After securing his contract with Mexico, Austin traveled around Texas and found what he thought was the best land for settling What are some things that make land good for settling?

16. The deal that Stephen F. Austin worked out with Spanish (and then Mexican) officials included the following: • Every man who came to Austin for land would receive 640 acres for himself • 320 acres for his wife • 160 acres for each child • 80 acres for each slave

17. Austin’s First Colony Austin’s choice for his first colony was between the Colorado and the Brazos Rivers Austin’s colony included a port because he knew he would need it to get settlers and supplies to the colony

18. Austin’s First Colony Austin got a ship, the Lively to take people and supplies to the new colony from New Orleans • Everything went well until 1822: • In 1822, the Lively shipwrecked and Austin lost a lot of supplies and colonists • Mexico won it’s independence from Spain in 1821… so now Austin had to get permission to colonize Texas from the new Mexican government

19. Major Empresario Grants Empresario Location Capital Problems Successes Stephen F. Austin (Father of Texas) Between the Colorado and Brazos Rivers San Felipe de Austin Drought Tonkawa & Kawakawa Lively shipwrecked Disputes over boundaries Mexican gov’t revoked right to settle Convinced Mexican gov’t to let him settle Father of TX – 1st colonize Americans Settled nearly 300 families Green DeWitt West of Austin’s 1st Colony Gonzales Native American Raids Settled 166 families 2nd in number to Austin Martin De Leon South of De Witt along the Guadalupe-Near the coast Victoria Native American Raids Forced to leave TX because of anti-Mexican sentiments Did a lot to promote the cattle industry in Texas Victoria important center for trade between Mexico and Texas Power and Hewetson South of De Leon along the Gulf Coast Refugio Native American Raids Irish Refugio was built on the site of an old Spanish Mission McMullen and McGloin Along the Gulf Coast San Patricio Farming Irish

21. Population BEFORE Empresarios: 7,000 • Population AFTER Empresarios: 22,000 • Towns established after the Americans came • San Felipe • Gonzales • Victoria • Refugio • Galveston • Bastrop • San Patricio • And many more… Nacogdoches San Felipe de Austin Gonzales San Antonio Goliad Saltillo