Ch 5 Sect 3-Item #3

Texas History

Fort Burrows

5.3 - Stephen F. Austin & Old 300

READ pgs 117 – 122

State Flag of Coahuila y Tejas, Mexico – 1824 / 1836

Know this Quote for the Test

“Texas ‘a second Eden’, a place where all the best things in life could be found.”

Stephen F Austin (SFA)

Main Idea:

Stephen F Austin (SFA) and other empresarios brought many colonists to Texas under the new laws of Mexico and the requirements of SFA.

Vocabulary :

agriculture – the work of preparing the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock

militia – a group of armed citizens who serve as soldiers during an emergency

partnership – an association of two or more people in a business venture

Setting the Scene:

After Moses Austin died in 1821, his 27-year old, son Stephen Fuller Austin (SFA) – Our New ‘Daddy’, took over his father’s dream business of bringing settlers to Texas. SFA was the most successful of all empresarios. He was responsible for bringing hundreds of families from the US to settle this new land, TEXAS.

Stephen Austin Takes Control

When Moses Austin died, his son Stephen carried on his plan to lead 300 families into Texas; unknowingly he ‘ prepared ‘ himself for being an empresario

³  The empresario would be in charge of getting 300 families to Texas

³  SFA was a Law Student

³  Territorial Legislature

³  Arkansas Judge

³  At 27, he was a Texas Empresario

Austin Explores

³  Austin settled on a site between the Colorado and Brazos rivers – WATER!

³  The land was ideal for agriculture – FARMING!

³  Away from the Comanches – LESS ATTACKS!

The Settlers Line Up

³  Had 150 families ready when he returned to Louisiana

³  US land was selling for $1.25 an acre in the US paid-in-full

³  Austin was offering land for .12½ cents an acre in Texas

³  Farmers would receive 177 acres per family

³  Ranchers would receive 4,428 ( sitio ) acres to raise livestock

Mexican government – 3 REQUIREMENTS from the settlers:

³  pledge their loyalty to Mexico

³  give up their rights as citizens of the United States

³  adopt the Roman Catholic religion

³  SFA changed his name to Estephen Austin, to show his loyalty and love of his new country

SFA – 4 REQUIREMENTS for his settlers:

³  NO Drunkards NO Gamblers

³  NO Profane Swearers NO Idlers

Settlement Begins ( turn to page 119 , look at map )

³  Settlers began arriving in November 1821

³  Andrew Robinson claimed to be the very 1st ; he arrived in November and built a ferry across the Brazos River

³  This site was later called Washington-on-the-Brazos

³  Some settlers brought ‘their’ African American slaves

³  Austin disliked slavery, but allowed it because he didn’t think settlers would come without slavery

Trouble in Mexico – Austin goes to Mexico City

³  New leaders in Mexico did not like Austin’s plan to create a colony in Texas

³  Austin had trouble getting approval because the Mexican government was in turmoil - it had new leaders

³  His plans were finally approved in 1823

³  Austin negotiates ‘new terms’ 4605 total acres; 4428 ( sitio ) for grazing & 177 for farming

Problems in the Colony

While Austin was away meeting with Mexican leaders, his colony met these challenges:

³  Had difficulty getting farms going due to a drought

³  Colonists fought with the local Indians – the Karankawas

³  Few new settlers arrived

³  When Austin returned, the settlers had already organized a militia

The Old Three Hundred ( Austin’s original settlement group )

³  By 1824, Austin’s colony had around than 300 families; the first families of Austin’s colony came from the southern part of the US

³  Austin’s contract allowed only families to receive land grants

³  To get around this rule, Austin let single men form partnerships

³  Life for the settlers in the colony was difficult; women were expected to cook, clean, maintain the fires, and care for the sick with few medicines or doctors

³  Colonists had to make their own clothing, soap, and supplies

³  No schools in the new colonies

³  Jane Long, ( look on P122 ) the MOTHER OF TEXAS, was one of the few female land owners; her land was near Fort Bend and she built a hotel

³  What was her daughter’s name ? ______

( turn in tomorrow for 5 bonus points )

Jane Wilkinson Long, married Dr. James Long at age 16 in 1819. Came to Texas on a mule she called Agatha. 1st daughter was named Ann. Jane also brought a slave girl with her to Texas. Her name was Kiamatia. On her trip to Texas, she stopped in Alexandria, LA to visit her sister Barbara Calvitt. Jane crossed the Sabine River riding on her mule. Dr. Long had sent some of his soldiers to watch after her and the 2 girls. She met up with Long near Galveston Island, Point Bolivar. 2nd daughter was born in December 1821, becoming the 1st Anglo Native Texan - ______

Dr. Long was executed in Mexico City prison for being a filibuster. Jane joined SFA’s settlers and received a land grant. Very few women owned land in Texas Mexico. She moved to Brazoria and opened a boarding house, hotel. William Barret Travis stayed at her Inn. So did Sam Houston. Jane taught the women in the area to make bullets, taught them to shoot long-rifles, and served TEA after practicing. During the fight for Texas Independence, Jane took her family East to the United States. She was part of the Run-Away Scrape. When she returned to Texas she built a hotel, a school, a church, and built a cotton plantation. She witnessed the invention of the telegraph, the telephone, railroads in Texas, and canning, (cooked food sealed in cans to preserve them to eat later). She died at 82.

Many call her the Mother of Texas… So do we!!!

³  By 1825, more than 1,300 settlers lived in the colony

³  In 1823, Austin established a town, San Felipe de Austin

£  To serve as the heart of the colony

£  He conducted his business here assisting settlers and acting as a PROTECTIVE link between the settlers and the Mexican government

£  Named after Mexican Governor, Felipe de la Garza and Stephen F Austin

£  Later known as San Felipe

£  The city where the colonies government was

³  Austin had an additional 4 contracts bringing 900 more families to Texas

³  He proved to be the most successful empresario

³  San Felipe de Austin was made the capital of the colony

SFA ESTABLISHES A COLONY IN TEXAS

1. Why did American settlers want to move to Austin’s colony ?

A. the land was inexpensive and excellent for agriculture

B. settlers were tired of battling the Native Americans for land

C. settlers wanted to live near the ocean

D. Austin was giving land away

2. Why did Stephen F Austin decide to allow slavery in his colony ?

A. he wanted a cheap source of labor to build his colony

B. he believed in slavery

C. he feared colonists would not come to Texas unless slavery was allowed

D. Austin owned slaves himself

3.  Why were people eager to join Stephen F Austin’s colony ?

______

______

4.  What challenges did Austin’s colony face in its early years ?

______

______

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