Unit 5: Mexican Texas - Revolution through Independence

With the number of new American settlers moving into Texas, things are getting tense. Students should be able to recognize the reasons for the tensions between the Mexican Government and the new Texans (mostly former Americans) that eventually lead to the Texas Revolution. KEY events to focus on –

Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824Colonization Law of 1825Fredonian RebellionMeir y Teran’s ReportLaw of April 6, 1830Turtle Bayou ResolutionsConventions of 1832 and 1833Arrest and Imprisonment of Stephen F. AustinThe Consultation (1835)

Mexico City

POWER

POW

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POWER

Federalists – power should be shared between the states and the national government

THE CONSTITUTION OF 1824Federalists wrote a constitution in 1824 that:

• Divided Mexico into 19 states and 4 territories

• Combined Coahuila and Tejas as one state---Coahuila y Tejas.

• Texas could become a single Mexican state after it’s population grew large enough

• Out of the 12 members of the state legislature that met in Saltillo, Texas could have only 1

Federalists mostly left the American settlers in Texas alone

Texas Settlements Grow in Early 1820’s

While Federalists are in power in Mexico, the colonists are left alone and…

Trade expands Population grows Farms and Plantations thriveSchools builtNewspapers printingSlaves are accepted in colonies

State Colonization Law of 1825

• Set up guidelines to the colonization of Texas (and other Mexican states)

• Foreigners (U.S. and European) were encouraged to immigrate to Texas• Same restrictions applied (become Mexican citizen, good moral character) EXCEPT: Mexico allowed settlers to practice other religions besides Catholicism

The Difficulties Begin (1826-1830)

Republic of FredoniaMier y TeranLaw of April 6, 1830

Fredonian Revolt1825 - Haden Edwards was awarded a large piece of land as an empresario --

• He was allowed to settle 800 families near Nacogdoches

• When Edwards arrived at his land (in September) he discovered that there were already people living there (many had been there for generations)

• MINE! No, it’s MINE!!

• The Political chief in the area sided with the settlers (against Edwards)

• Edward’s brother, Benjamin, thought the only way to solve the problem was to declare his colony independent from Mexico

- The brothers got 15 -30 armed settlers and took the Old Stone Fort (Dec. 16)

- They raised a red and white flag that said, “Independence, Liberty and Justice”

- Called it the Republic of Fredonia

- The Mexican government (with the help of Stephen F. Austin) sent troops to Nacogdoches to stop the revolt. (January)

- Some Fredonians were captured but most of them ran across the Sabine River (border) into the United States … the revolt was over

So . . .

• The Mexican government wanted to know what in the world(?!) was going on in Texas so the sent General Mier y Teran to investigate.

• Teran told the Mexican government that Texans outnumbered Mexicans in East Texas at least 5 to 1.

•Worried about the growing American influence in Texas.

•He also told the government that if they didn’t do something that Texas would be “lost forever.”

Effects of the Fredonian Revolt

Centralist Party -- 1829

• End of independent acts• Regulations issued to bring

the states and provinces of Mexico more under the control and authority of the national government.

Mexico City

POWER

POW

ER

POWER

Centralists – power should be concentrated in the central government of Mexico City

• Issued a decree (law) abolishing slavery in Mexico (including Texas)

• LAW OF APRIL 6, 1830

• Stopped all immigration from the UNITED STATES

• Encouraged immigration from MEXICO and EUROPE

• Placed customs duties (taxes) on goods made in foreign countries (the United States)

Texans DID NOT like the new laws the Centralists were putting in place.THEY SAID IT VIOLATED THEIR

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS (The Constitution of 1824)

CENTRALISTS CAME INTO POWER IN 1829

Rebellions 1831-1835

Turtle Bayou ResolutionsConventions of 1832 and 1833Arrest and imprisonment of SFAThe Consultation

Turtle Bayou Resolutions (June 13, 1832)

–NOT rebelling against Mexican authority

–Supported Santa Anna’s revolt against the Centralists in Mexico (President Bustamante) because they were ignoring the Constitution of 1824

–Santa Anna supported the Constitution of 1824 (or did he?)

Finally in 1833, Santa Anna became president of Mexico… most Texans were happy… because he had declared himself to be a FEDERALIST… he had promised to support the Constitution of 1824… which is what the Texans wanted…

I am a Federalist. NO, really

I am a Centralist

CONVENTION OF 1832 (October 1)

• Stephen F. Austin was elected president of this convention

• Six major resolutions made:

1. Texas should be made a separate state

2. Immigration from the U.S. should be allowed again

3. Texans be exempt from certain import taxes

4. They would receive better educational facilities

5. Better protection from the Native Americans

6. Land titles for settlers in East Texas

CONVENTION OF 1833 (April 1)

• Included the same resolutions from the earlier convention

• Also, included a constitution calling for Texas to become Mexican state of its own.

• The delegates decided to send Stephen F. Austin to Mexico to present their resolutions to Mexico City

Increased Tensions 1833-1835

Stephen F. Austin imprisonedGeneral Cos incidentConsultation of 1835

Cholera Epidemic in Mexico CityIn April 1833, Austin arrives in Mexico City as a cholera epidemic is sweeping through the city

Austin’s meeting with Santa Anna is delayed because Santa Anna did not want to be in the city while so many people were dying of cholera

Austin gets frustrated (he had been waiting for 3 months) and writes a letter to the delegates in San Antonio telling them to go ahead and form their own government

In November, Santa Anna finally meets with Austin and agrees to some of the resolutions… mainly doing away with the law restricting immigration

Austin gets thrown in prison

Austin leaves Mexico City in December 1833 to head back to Texas

In the meanwhile, the Mexican authorities in Saltillo had read Austin’s letter to the delegates in Texas… they weren’t too happy…

Austin is arrested in January 1834 and sent BACK to Mexico City

Texans were appalled… they asked for Austin’s release…

• After being imprisoned for 1 ½ years, Austin was finally given his freedom in July of 1835…

• he got back to Texas that September –over 2 years since leaving!!!

While Austin was in Prison• The cholera epidemic also killed colonists; including 8

members of Austin’s family• In the Fall of 1833, malaria also hit the colonists due to

heavy rains in East Texas• 1834 was better because reforms Santa Anna promised

began –– English became official language– Immigrants from U.S. were allowed in– Improved courts– Increased number of Texas representatives in the state legislature

of Coahuila– Religious tolerance was granted

Here we go again ---

In early 1835, trouble began again in Anahuac!To make a short story long, Anahuac merchant, Andrew Briscoe, told Garrison Captain, Antonio Tenorio that the taxes were not being collected in other ports and he refused to pay the duties until the law was enforced equally. Well, Tenorio arrested Briscoe! Colonists got mad and in late June, a group in San Felipe, led by

William B. Travisdecided to take action. They went to Anahuac and forced Tenorio to surrender and leave Texas!!

Some Texans disagreed with what Travis had done and wrote a letter of apology to General Martin Perfecto de Cos, Santa Anna’s brother-in-law and commander of the Mexican forces in Coahuila.

General Cos“Apology NOT accepted!”

• Arrested William B. Travis, Frank W. Johnson and Samuel M Williams

• Arrested distinguished Mexican politician who helped frame the Mexican Constitution of 1824 (remember that one?), Lorenzo de Zavala

• Santa Anna wanted them to stand trail. (He is no longer a Federalist but a Centralist.)

Consultation of 1835August 15, 1835, leaders in the town of Columbia issued a call for a convention so people could discuss the situation with Cos and Santa Anna.

This convention was known as the CONSULTATION and was held at Washington-on-the-Brazos on October 15.

Colonists had mixed opinions --

Peace Party War Party

This Historical Marker shows about where the courthouse, built about 1830, stood.

Both the first and second conventions of Texas, 1832 and 1833, and the consultation of 1835 were held on this site.

The provisional government functioned here until March 2, 1836,

“War is our only recourse. There is not other remedy. We must

defend our rights, ourselves, and our country by force of arms.”

Stephen F. Austin