Chapter 7
Age of Empresarios
Moses Austin
• 1821 Moses receives a land grant to
bring American settlers to Texas
• Living in Louisiana-when it was Spain's- gained a large
fortune
• Depression hit and he lost his business
• Looking for a way to regain fortune asked Governor
Martinez to allow him to bring 300 settlers to Texas
• Baron de Bastrop helped him secure his grant
• Died in 1821 and his son Stephen carried out his plans
Stephen F. Austin
carries out his father’s work
• SFA was working in New Orleans and left to
help his father settle Texas
• Along the way learned his father had died
• Went to see Governor Martinez along with
Erasmo Seguin
• Decided region between Brazos and Colorado
rivers suitable
• Sent proposal to Governor Martinez
Advertising for Colonists
• Austin began advertising in newspapers for his 300 families
to come to Texas
• Each man would get 640 acres, 320 for wife, 160 for each
child and 80 for each slave
• Special valued persons would get more land..doctors,
merchants etc
• Surveyed or measured the land to determine boundaries
• Settlers would pay Austin 12.5 cents an acre for the
surveying
• Settlers had to swear an oath of allegiance to
Spain and become citizens and become Catholic
Good Land and Low Prices
• Austin’s advertising attracted many people
• 1821 already 100 settlers were waiting to go to
Texas
• Andrew Robinson was the first settler to enter
the claimed land- town of Washington on the
Brazos
• 1822 Mexico had won independence from
Spain and didn’t recognize Austin’s grant
• Austin was going to go to Mexico City
Austin impresses Mexican Leaders
• Journey to Mexico City would take over a year
• 1823 Mexico passed a colonization law
• Land was increased-4605 acres and Austin
would get 100,000 acres
• Austin was an empresario- land agent who
brought setters to an area
• 300 families had permission to come
Problems
• Settlers left because of drought, waiting for
land to be surveyed
• Native Americans raided the settlements
• Austin raised a militia to stop raids (temporary
army)
Men and women
of the Old Three Hundred
• Old Three Hundred
• Settlers had prime choice of land
• Most settled along Brazos, Colorado and San
Jacinto rivers
• Many of the Old Three Hundred were settlers
before Austin came to Texas
– Jane Long, Aylett Buckner
Capital
• San Felipe de Austin new capital
• SFA resided here in his dog trot home
Assignment for Chapter 7
• You will record on video a 1 minute Texas
advertisement
• This advertisement would mimick what SFA
would have put in newspapers to attract settlers
to Texas.
** you need to research the areas where SFA
planned to bring settlers**
• We can go outside here at school to record. Or
you can do it at home.
• Partner up and write a script for approval by me
before recording.