Chapter 7 Section 4
Spanish Rule Ends in Mexico
Mexico Wins Independence
• After Father Hidalgo’s death, a
priest named Father Jose Maria
Morelos y Pavon led the fight for
independence
• In 1815 he was captured and
executed
• This seemed like the end of the
revolution, but events in Europe
during 1820 encouraged the
revolution.
• A military officer named Agustin de Iturbide
joined forces with a rebel leader Vicente
Guerrero.
• Together these forces defeated the Spanish in
1821 and Mexico won its independence.
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Mexico’s
Iturbide
Guerrero
Independence!!!
Impacts on Texas from the
Mexican War for Independence
• Many Tejanos had fled or been killed.
• Relations with Texas Indians had
worsened leading to more attacks on
settlements.
• Texas economy was in ruins- livestock
was lost and crops were ruined.
Effects on Population in Major
Towns
• San Antonio (the capital)- Only 1500
people lived there
• La Bahia (now renamed Goliad)- Only
1,000 Tejanos lived there
• Nacogdoches- almost completely deserted
Tejano Ranchers
• To the south and west, several thousand
settlers lived along the Rio Grande,
grouped mainly around El Paso del Norte
and Laredo.
• This area was great because it had lush
grasslands.
• Livestock included cattle, horses, and
sheep.
Most Successful Ranchers
• Martin de Leon
• Tomas Sanchez (also
served as the alcalde
of Laredo for many
years)
• Jose Narciso Cavazos
(raised a variety of
livestock on his
470,000 acre ranch)
Tomas Sanchez
Ranching in the San Antonio River
Valley
• Steady cattle trade
market between Texas
and Coahuila to the
South and Louisiana to
the East
• Many wealthier
Tejanos lived on
ranches in stone
houses
• Many other Texas ranchers lived in
jacales- small one room huts made of
sticks and mud.
• No matter what the Tejano lived in they
faced many difficulties and dangers on the
frontier.
Mexican Policies in Texas
• Spain had begun to secularize the
missions. After Mexico won its
independence it continued this process.
• To boost the population of Texas, Mexico
began offering free land. Unfortunately
this only lured a few settlers.
• Many Mexican citizens were concerned
about living on the rough frontier.
• Mexico would have to decide whether to
continue this policy or not.