how did stephen f austin change the course of the texas revolution

by Jacklyn Rice 3 min read

He founded a colony (1822) of several hundred families on the Brazos River, and for some years thereafter, as the migration of U.S. citizens to Texas increased, he was a major figure in the struggle between Mexico and the United States for possession of the territory.May 13, 2022

What did Stephen A Austin do in the Texas Revolution?

As Texas settlers became increasingly dissatisfied with the Mexican government, Austin advocated conciliation, but the dissent against Mexico escalated into the Texas Revolution. Austin led Texas forces at the successful Siege of Béxar before serving as a commissioner to the United States.

What happened to Stephen Austin’s plan to settle Texas?

Stephen Austin’s planned settlement of Texas hit many snags between 1821 and 1830, not the least of which was the fact that Mexico achieved independence in 1821, meaning he had to re-negotiate his father’s grant. Emperor Iturbide of Mexico came and went, leading to further confusion.

How did the Texas Revolution start?

The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) began when colonists (primarily from the United States) in the Mexican province of Texas rebelled against the increasingly centralized Mexican government.

What is the legacy of Stephen F Austin?

The Legacy of Stephen F. Austin. Austin was a hardworking, honorable man caught up in times of sweeping change and chaos. He proved to be excellent at everything he did. He was a skillful colony administrator, a canny diplomat, and a diligent lawyer. The only thing he tried that he did not excel at was war.

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How did Stephen F Austin impact the Texas Revolution?

As Texas settlers became increasingly dissatisfied with the Mexican government, Austin advocated conciliation, but the dissent against Mexico escalated into the Texas Revolution. Austin led Texas forces at the successful Siege of Béxar before serving as a commissioner to the United States.

How did Stephen F Austin change the world?

Austin traveled to Mexico City and succeeded in getting approval for a law that promoted the development of colonies. Known as the empresario system, the new law allowed immigration agents such as Austin to bring in families and provided land incentives for their success.

What did Stephen F Austin discover?

Stephen F. Austin (November 3, 1793–December 27, 1836) was a lawyer, settler, and administrator who played a key role in the secession of Texas from Mexico. He brought hundreds of U.S. families into Texas on behalf of the Mexican government, which wished to populate the isolated northern state.

How should Stephen F. Austin be remembered in Texas history?

He founded a colony (1822) of several hundred families on the Brazos River, and for some years thereafter, as the migration of U.S. citizens to Texas increased, he was a major figure in the struggle between Mexico and the United States for possession of the territory.

How did Stephen F. Austin convince the Mexican government to allow slavery?

b. How did Stephen F. Austin convince the Mexican government to allow slavery? Americans would not move to Texas without slavery.

What did Stephen F. Austin dream about?

Stephen Austin. Stephen Fuller Austin was the chief colonizer of Texas . He carried out his father's dream of creating an agricultural society in the remote Spanish-held region.

Who is Stephen Austin?

Austin State University. "Stephen Austin" redirects here. For other people, see Stephen Austin (disambiguation). Step hen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the " Father of Texas " and the founder of Anglo Texas, he led the second and, ...

What was Austin's plan for Mexico?

Austin's plan for an American colony was thrown into turmoil by Mexico's gaining independence from Spain in 1821. Governor Martínez informed Austin that the junta instituyente, the new rump congress of the government of Agustín de Iturbide of Mexico, refused to recognize the land grant authorized by Spain. His government intended to use a general immigration law to regulate new settlement in Mexico. Austin traveled to Mexico City, where he persuaded the junta instituyente to approve the grant to his father, as well as the law signed by the Mexican Emperor on January 3, 1823.

What was Austin's view on slavery?

Slavery was a very important issue to Austin, one he called "of great interest" to him. Austin was a periodical slaveowner throughout his life; however, he had conflicting views about it. Theoretically, he believed slavery was wrong and went against the American ideal of liberty. In practice, however, he agreed with the social, economic, and political justifications of it, and worked hard to defend and expand it. Despite his defense of it, he also harbored concerns that the long-term effects of slavery would destroy American society. He grew particularly concerned following Nat Turner's rebellion, stating:

How did Austin die?

Doctors were called in but could not help him. Austin died of pneumonia at noon on December 27, 1836. He was at the home of George B. McKinstry, near what is now West Columbia, Texas. He was 43. Austin's last words were "The independence of Texas is recognized! Don't you see it in the papers?..." Upon hearing of Austin's death, Houston ordered an official statement proclaiming: "The Father of Texas is no more; the first pioneer of the wilderness has departed." Originally, Austin was buried at Gulf Prairie Cemetery in Brazoria County, Texas. In 1910 Austin's body was reinterred at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. Austin never married, nor did he have any children. He bequeathed all his land, titles, and possessions, to his married sister, Emily Austin Perry .

Where was Austin born?

Born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri, Austin served in the Missouri territorial legislature before moving to Arkansas Territory and later Louisiana. His father, Moses Austin, received an empresario grant from Spain to settle Texas.

Where was Stephen Austin born?

Stephen F. Austin was born in the mining region of southwestern Virginia in what is known as Austinville today. He was the second child of Mary Brown Austin and Moses Austin; their first child, Eliza, lived only one month. On June 8, 1798, when Stephen was four years old, his family moved west to the lead-mining region of present-day Potosi, Missouri. Moses Austin received a sitio from the Spanish government for the mining site of Mine à Breton, established by French colonists. His great-great-grandfather, Anthony Austin (b. 1636), was the son of Richard Austin (b.1598 in Bishopstoke, Hampshire, England), he and his wife Esther were original settlers of Suffield, Massachusetts, which became Connecticut in 1749.

Where was Austin inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame?

In 1959, Austin was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In Austinville, Virginia, Austin's birthplace, a monument was erected along the New River near a junction with the New River Trail State Park.

What was Austin's role in shaping what became the State of Texas?

Austin’s role in shaping what became the State of Texas is often likened to that of President George Washington in the United States. It was a role Austin initially did not want.

What did Austin do after the economy began to surge in Texas?

After the economy began to surge in Texas, Mexican officials worked to abolish slavery. Austin objected and won an exemption for the colony. When Mexico tried again, Austin secured a loophole for farmers in Texas, allowing them to free their slaves and then sign them to 99 years of indentured servitude.

What did Austin do in the 1820s?

While in Texas in the 1820s and 1830s, Austin kept peace with Mexico, recruited white Americans to settle there and helped secure independence for the Republic of Texas. But for his near-mythological status in the state’s lore, Austin had a less exalted side: the defender of slavery who warned that freed slaves would become “vagabonds, ...

What grade do you learn about the Battle of the Alamo?

Middle schoolers devote two semesters of seventh-grade history to learning about Austin, the Battle of the Alamo and other Texas pioneers. Austin’s relationship with slavery is not widely known outside historian circles, Mr. Cantrell said, but it is not the reason he is revered in Texas.

What did Austin do to settle in the Colorado River?

Austin reluctantly agreed. He got approval to settle in the bottomlands of the Colorado River, forged diplomatic relations and peace with the Mexican government, and persuaded American planters to join him there. As the cotton industry boomed across the South, Austin realized that the next market could be in Texas.

When did Texas become a slave state?

But the issue of slavery complicated that possibility after colonists won the Texas Revolution in 1836. Slavery was already a divisive issue in the United States and politicians worried about admitting another slaveholding state. (After a brief stint as its own country, Texas was annexed in 1845.)

Who helped Texas colonize?

Image. A map of Texas in 1835 shows the land near the Colorado River that Stephen F. Austin helped colonize. Credit... Library of Congress. “I don’t know anyone who is seriously championing to change the name,” said David Green, a spokesman for the city.

What was the Texas Revolution?

t. e. The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) in putting up armed resistance to the centralist government of Mexico. While the uprising was part of a larger one, the Mexican Federalist War, that included other provinces opposed ...

How long did the Texas Revolution last?

The campaigns of the Texas Revolution. Date. October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836. (6 months, 2 weeks and 5 days) Location. Texas. Result. Treaties of Velasco and the formation of the Republic of Texas. Territorial.

How many people volunteered to fight in the Texas army?

In reality, of the 1,300 men who volunteered to fight for the Texian army in October and November 1835, only 150–200 arrived from the United States after October 2. The rest were residents of Texas with an average immigration date of 1830.

What happened to Texas in 1845?

Mexico refused to recognize the Republic of Texas, and intermittent conflicts between the two countries continued into the 1840s. The annexation of Texas as the 28th state of the United States, in 1845, led directly to the Mexican–American War .

How many African Americans lived in Texas in 1835?

By 1834, an estimated 30,000 Anglos lived in Coahuila y Tejas, compared to only 7,800 Mexican-born residents. By the end of 1835, almost 5,000 enslaved Africans and African Americans lived in Texas, making up 13 percent of the non-Indian population.

What was the plan to invade Matamoros?

An ill-conceived proposal to invade Matamoros siphoned much-needed volunteers and provisions from the fledgling Texian Army. In March 1836, a second political convention declared independence and appointed leadership for the new Republic of Texas .

Why did the Mexican army loan the citizens of Gonzales a cannon?

In the early 1830s, the army loaned the citizens of Gonzales a small cannon for protection against Indian raids. After a Mexican soldier bludgeoned a Gonzales resident on September 10, 1835, tensions rose even further, and Mexican authorities felt it unwise to leave the settlers with a weapon. Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea, commander of all Mexican military forces in Texas, sent a small detachment of troops to retrieve the cannon. After settlers escorted the group from town without the cannon, Ugartechea sent 100 dragoons with Lieutenant Francisco de Castañeda to demand compliance, with orders to avoid force if possible.

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Early Life

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Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia on November 3, 1793, the son of Moses Austin and Mary Brown. Moses was a businessman and lead mine owner, and he began his working life in Philadelphia, where he met in 1784 and married Mary Brown, known as Maria. Moses ran a mercantile business in Richmond, Virginia w…
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Education

  • In 1804, Stephen, age 11, was sent off by himself to Connecticut, where relatives found him a good school to attend: the Bacon Academy in Colchester, where he studied English grammar and writing, logic, rhetoric, geometry, geography, and a little Latin and Greek. He graduated in 1807 and was then sent to Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, where he studied math, geo…
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The Trip to Mexico City

  • In 1833, Austin went to Mexico City to clear up some business with the Mexican Federal government. He was bringing new demands from the Texas settlers, including separation from Coahuila (Texas and Coahuila were one state at the time) and reduced taxes. Meanwhile, he sent letters home hoping to placate those Texans who favored outright separation from Mexico. Som…
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The Texas Revolution

  • Not long after Austin's return, Texas rebels fired on Mexican soldiers in the town of Gonzales. The Battle of Gonzales, as it came to be known, marked the beginning of the military phase of the Texas Revolution. Not long after, Austin was named commander of all Texan military forces. Along with Jim Bowie and James Fannin, he marched on San Antonio, where Bowie and Fannin …
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Return to Texas

  • Austin made his way to Washington, stopping along the way at key cities such as New Orleans and Memphis, where he gave speeches, encouraged volunteers to go to Texas, secured loans (usually to be repaid in Texas land after independence), and met with officials. He was a big hit and always drew a large crowd. Texas effectively gained independence on April 21, 1836, at the …
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Death

  • He lost the election to be the first president of the Republic of Texas to Sam Houston, who appointed him Secretary of State. Austin fell ill of pneumonia and died on December 27, 1836.
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Legacy

  • Austin was a hardworking, honorable man caught up in times of sweeping change and chaos. He was a skillful colony administrator, a canny diplomat, and a diligent lawyer. The only thing he tried that he did not excel at was war. After "leading" the Texas army to San Antonio, he quickly and happily turned command over to Sam Houston, who was much more suited to the job. Austin wa…
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Sources

  1. Brands, H.W. "Lone Star Nation: The Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence."New York: Anchor Books, 2004.
  2. Cantrell, Gregg. "Stephen F. Austin: Empresario of Texas." New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 1999.
  3. Henderson, Timothy J. "A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United StatesNew Yor…
  1. Brands, H.W. "Lone Star Nation: The Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence."New York: Anchor Books, 2004.
  2. Cantrell, Gregg. "Stephen F. Austin: Empresario of Texas." New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 1999.
  3. Henderson, Timothy J. "A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United StatesNew York: Hill and Wang, 2007."

Overview

Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas, he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families and their slaves from the United States to the tejanos region in 1825.

Early years

Stephen F. Austin was born on November 3, 1793, in the mining region of southwestern Virginia. His parents were Mary Brown Austin and Moses Austin. In 1798, his family moved west to the lead-mining region of present-day Potosi, Missouri. Moses Austin received a sitio from the Spanish government for the mining site of Mine à Breton, established by French colonists. His great-great-grandfather, Anthony Austin (b. 1636), was the son of Richard Austin (b.1598 in Bishopstoke, Ham…

Move to Texas

During Austin's time in Arkansas, his father traveled to Spanish Texas and received an empresarial grant that would allow him to bring 300 American families to Texas. Moses Austin caught pneumonia soon after returning to Missouri. He directed that his empresario grant would be taken over by his son Stephen. Although Austin was reluctant to carry on his father's Texas venture, …

Empresario

Austin's plan for an American colony was thrown into turmoil by Mexico's gaining independence from Spain in 1821. Governor Martínez informed Austin that the junta instituyente, the new rump congress of the government of Agustín de Iturbide of Mexico, refused to recognize the land grant authorized by Spain. His government intended to use a general immigration law to regulate new settl…

Slavery

Slavery was a very important issue to Austin, one he called "of great interest" to him. Austin was a periodical slaveowner throughout his life; however, he had conflicting views about it. Theoretically, he believed slavery was wrong and went against the American ideal of liberty. In practice, however, he agreed with the social, economic, and political justifications of it, and worked hard to defend and expand it. Despite his defense of it, he also harbored concerns that the long-term eff…

Relations with Mexico

Immigration controls and the introduction of tariff laws had done much to dissatisfy the colonists, peaking in the Anahuac Disturbances. Austin became involved in Mexican politics, supporting the upstart Antonio López de Santa Anna. Following the success of Santa Anna, the colonists sought a compensatory reward, proclaimed at the Convention of 1832—resumption of i…

Texas Revolution

In his absence, several events propelled the colonists toward confrontation with Santa Anna's centralist government. Austin took temporary command of the Texian forces during the Siege of Béxar from October 12 to December 11, 1835. After learning of the Disturbances at Anahuac and Velasco in the summer of 1835, an enraged Santa Anna made rapid preparations for the Mexican army to sweep Anglo settlers from Texas. War began in October 1835 at Gonzales. The Republic …

Republic of Texas

In December 1835, Austin, Branch Archer, and William H. Wharton were appointed commissioners to the U.S. by the provisional government of the republic. On June 10, 1836, Austin was in New Orleans, where he received word of Santa Anna's defeat by Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. Austin returned to Texas to rest at Peach Point in August. On August 4, he announced his candidacy for president of Texas. Austin felt confident he could win the election until two week…