Download Mexican Colonization

Expanded
Colonization
Mexican Federal Constitution
• 1824
• Written after Mexico became independent
from Spain
• The republic was called United Mexican States
– Representative government
– Catholicism was official religion
• Created the state of Coahuila y Tejas
– Merged the two province
Mexican Federal Constitution
• Main ideas:
– No one could receive more than 48,708 acres of
land
– No colony could be established within 30 miles of
the coast without government permission
– Only people that lived permanently in Texas could
receive land grants
Coahuila y Tejas
• Merger stated in the Mexican Federal
Constitution of 1824
• Texas was not organized as a separate state
because of its small population
State Colonization Law of 1825
• Law that set up guidelines to the colonization
of Coahuila y Tejas
• Allowed Stephen F Austin to continue
receiving land grants in Texas
– Most successful emperasario
– Received four additional land grants in three years
Stephen F Austin
• Most successful colonizer
• Reasons:
– Ability to successfully deal with Mexican
authorities
– Colonists had little difficulty getting land grants
and making improvements
– Native Americans were little threat
– Lands had fertile soil
Other Empresario’s
• Martin DeLeon
– 1824
– Mexican empresario
– Settled 200 Mexican families in Victoria
• Green DeWitt
– 1831
– American empresario
– Settled 166 families in Gonzales
Slavery
• 1821-Colonists could bring slaves to Texas and
buy land depending on the number of slaves
• 1823-Sale and purchase of slaves forbidden in
Texas and children of slaves freed once 14
• 1827-The legislature of Coahuila y Tejas outlawed
additional slaves and freedom to newborns
• 1829-Mexico abolished slavery, Texas granted an
exception
• 1830-Importation of slaves illegal in Texas