Texas Empresarios

1. Texas Empresarios Chapter 8.2

2. Moses Austin After losing his fortune in Missouri, Moses Austin decided the best way to make money & pay off his debt was to help Anglo Americans settle in Texas.

3. Moses Austin In 1820, Moses Austin traveled to San Antonio to present his plan to bring 300 U.S. families to start a colony in Texas. Because of their problems with Filibusters, the Spanish government rejected his plan.

4. Moses Austin However, with the help of Baron de Bastrop, the Spanish approved Austin’s plan. Austin became deathly ill, however, & asked his son, Stephen F. Austin, to fulfill his dream of colonizing Texas.

5. Stephen F. Austin In 1821, 27-year-old Stephen F. Austin aimed to fulfill his father’s dream by meeting with the Spanish governor in San Antonio.

6. Erasmo Seguin The Spanish governor appointed Erasmo Seguin to assist Stephen F. Austin because they were suspicious & didn’t trust him to colonize Texas alone.

7. Texas Settlement Requirements • Must convert to Catholicism • Must become a Spanish/Mexican citizen • Must be of good, moral character

8. Old 300 Austin’s empresario grant allowed him to bring 300 Anglo American families to Texas. They became known as the “Old 300.”

9. 1822 When Austin visited San Antonio in 1822, he learned that Mexico had won its independence from Spain. Since his grant had been issued by Spain, he now had to gain permission for his colony from Mexico.

10. Austin in Mexico City Austin traveled to Mexico City, where he was forced to wait 1 year before receiving approval by the Mexican government. There, he learned Spanish & won the trust of Mexican leaders.

11. San Felipe de Austin His colony in Texas was named San Felipe de Austin by the Mexican Governor. Anglo Americans later viewed him as the “Father of Texas.”