In 1821, Mexico finally won its independence from Spain with the signing of the Treaty of Cordova. The new government opened Mexico�s northern frontier to American settlers. Moses Austin, founder of the American lead industry, was the first man to obtain permission to bring American settlers into Mexican Texas. However, he died before he could carry out his plans. Stephen F. Austin, his son, followed through on those plans and established the first American colony in Texas. Soon, other white Americans, Europeans and Hispanics all settled colonies. Mexico gave generous land grants to all leaders and their followers. Texas was attached to an existing Mexican province that became Tejas y Coahulla.

Problems between the new settlements and Mexico soon developed. First, old Hispanic settlers, known as Tejanos, became a minority as immigration from the United States swelled. Between 1821 and 1836, the American population increased from approximately 4,000 to about 40,000. Most were from the South. They brought slaves to Texas although Mexican authorities tried to forbid the practice. Mexico wanted the Americans to become Catholic. Most Americans were Protestants, and they only pretended to become Catholics.

Americans also refused to adopt Mexican customs and insisted on keeping their own traditions. Anglo Americans believed they were superior to the Hispanics and discriminated against those in Texas. Finally, Americans had little respect for the Hispanics in the government. 

The Constitution of 1824 made Mexico a republic. It established a president, vice-president, supreme court and federal congress. The constitution limited the powers of the president and the congress was made the final interpreter of the document. It also established the Catholic religion as the official state religion and the church was supported by the public treasury. It failed, however, to adequately define many of the rights of the states within the republic, including Texas. This would later cause problems between the central Mexican government and the people living in Texas.

Texas was represented by Juan Seguin, postmaster of San Antonio, at the constitutional convention. Seguin worked to have provisions included in the constitution that were beneficial to his native San Antonio and Anglo Americans living in Texas. These included allowing Texas to petition for separate statehood at a future date, a loose interpretation of the requirement that settlers be Catholic and a provision against the complete abolition of slavery in Texas. As a member of the colonization committee, Seguin also worked on the National Colonization Laws, which left most issues of immigration and land distribution in the hands of the state governments. 

In 1832, a group of American settlers at Anahuac, opposed to the rule of the local Centralist Mexican army commander, skirmished with Mexican troops. The settlers eventually fled to an area near Turtle Bayou. Learning of the success of anti-government Federalist troops led by Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna against government troops at Tampico, they created what was known as the Turtle Bayou resolutions. They claimed in the resolutions that they were not Anglo traitors, but rather that they were supporting the Federalist cause in the civil war against the Centralist troops. They resolutions condemned the Centralist government for violating the 1824 constitution and urged all Texans to support the Federalist cause.

In 1833, Santa Anna was elected president of Mexico. Also in 1833, Anglo Americans in Texas framed a constitution for the proposed state of Texas at the San Felipe Convention in 1833. Stephen Austin took it to Mexico City, along with a list of other demands. Austin had mixed success with the Mexican government. Santa Anna agreed to repeal the 1830 law against further American immigration, but he refused to grant the request for statehood. He also had Austin imprisoned for a time on suspicion of inciting an insurrection.

In 1835, Santa Anna led a military coup of the Mexican government, annulled the Republican Constitution of 1824 and became a dictator. Several of Mexico�s northern provinces rebelled against Santa Anna. Texas was one of those provinces. Santa Anna easily crushed the rebels, except for those in Texas. That would be another story, altogether.

Additional Resources

1. What occurred in 1821?(7.1:C)
2. Who were Moses and Stephen F. Austin?(7.2:C)
3. Why did the Mexican Constitution of 1824 result in future turmoil between the central government and the Texas province?(7.2:D)
4. Who was Juan Seguin? What role did he have in the development of the Mexican Constitution of 1824?(7.2:C)
5. What was the Fredonia Rebellion? How did the Mexican Government respond to this rebellion?
6. What was the Law of 1830?(7.2:E)
7. What were the Turtle Bayou Resolutions?(7.2:E)
8. Who was Santa Anna? What role did he play in Mexican politics and the history of Texas?(7.3:A)
9. What was the San Felipe Convention of 1833? What was the outcome of this convention?
10. Why did Stephen F. Austin go to Mexico City in 1833? What happened to him there?(7.2:E)