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Gone to Texas
Instructional Objective (4th Grade)
- The student will learn about the accomplishments
of Stephen F. Austin and Moses Austin as empresarios.
- The student will understand how settlers were
made aware of land in Texas.
- The student will understand how Mexico's independence
from Spain impacted settlement in Texas. (cause and effect)
- The students will understand why Mexico’s independence
from Spain delayed colonization.
TEKS
SOCIAL STUDIES History (4.2.D,
4.2.E) The student understands the causes and effects of European
colonization of Texas by identifying the accomplishments of Moses
Austin and Stephen F. Austin as empresarios and can identify their
impact on the colonization of Texas. The student can identify the
impact of Mexico’s independence from Spain as it relates to settlement
in Texas.and the impact of Mexico’s independence from Spain on the
events of Texas.
Materials
- Large yellow construction paper or sheets of
astroparch (parchment paper) from an office supply store.
- Colored writing utensils
- Notebook paper
- Computer
Resources
Getting Ready for the Lesson
Background information:
1. Stephen F. Austin was the first and most important
empresario in Texas.
- An empresario was a land agent who was given
land in Texas by Mexico and sold it to settlers to move here to
farm or raise cattle.
- From 1821-1834, he gave a lot of effort to
colonize Texas with Anglos from the United States.
- He explored Texas.
- He had the land surveyed.
- He had the titles and records prepared.
- He traveled to conduct business with government
officials.
- He extended credit to the new colonists and
gave them time to pay.
2. Stephen F. Austin’s father Moses Austin is
the reason he become interested in colonizing Texas with Anglo-Americans.
- Spain had given Moses Austin permission to
bring 300 families to Texas from the United States. (They would
become the Old Three Hundred)
- In 1821, Moses died before he could complete
this venture and Mexico also won independence from Spain that
year.
- Mexico’s independence from Spain delayed colonization
because Mexico initially rejected the grant for Texas land arranged
between Spain and Moses. Stephen took over where his father left
off and traveled 1000 miles to Mexico City where he worked hard
for over a year to get a land contract from the new government.
Preparation of the Learning Environment
The teacher should show the students the picture
of the broadside from the Resource section of this lesson plan,
or download it from the website and print a copy for each student.
The teacher should also supply the student with information as detailed
in the Explanation section.
TEACHING PROCEDURE:
Motivation
Tell each student to imagine he/she is an empresario
who wants to encourage colonists to move to Texas. Although Texas
is a beautiful place, have them remember that it is not a perfect
place. Those who were encouraging others to move to Texas often
made it sound better than it really was. Ask the students to think
of some facts about Texas in the 1800’s that the empresarios may
NOT have chosen to advertise. (Unfriendly Indians, hot weather,
drought, land grants given too slowly) As the students look at the
broadside, ask them to notice how potential immigrants were persuaded
to come to Texas. (Need for assistance in Texas, free passage)
Explanation
Students will discuss what they learned about
living in Texas at the time when Texas was owned by Mexico after
reading in their textbooks and any other resource the teacher may
have. Discuss the following information:
1. Land grants included:
- 177 acres (a labor) for families who would
farm
- 4,428 acres (a league) for cattle ranchers
- Both a labor and a league to those who would
bath raise cattle and farm.
- 640 acres for the man
- 320 acres for the wife
- 160 acres for each child
- 80 acres for each slave
2. Costs included:
- 12.5 cents per acre if they were dealing with
Austin
- OR 5 cents per acre (if they were dealing with
another empresario) and fees to have it surveyed, fees to the
state of Mexico, to the land commissioner, the clerk who prepared
the records etc.
- $20 for the cabin passage from New Orleans
to Galveston (Comparison to today’s currency
- $1.00 in1821 = $13.28 in 2003)
3. Stephen F. Austin advertised for colonists
in newspapers mainly in southern states because of the similar climates.
4. Mexico had requirements for the new citizens.
- become a Mexican citizen
- join the Catholic church
- have good moral character and manners
Lead the class in a brainstorming activity of
words and phrases to be used in the student’s broadside that would
lure people to move Texas. Write the words and phrases on the board.
Examples would be "thousands of acres" or "rivers
filled with fish."
Practice
The students will create their own advertisement
(broadside) that will entice settlers to come to live in Texas.
With the supplies provided, have them use some of the descriptive
words and phrases from the brainstorming activity as well as facts
from the Explanation section.
Extension
Pretend you lived in Texas in 1830. Write a letter
to a family member telling them why you they love living in Texas
and why they should move there as well.
Assessment
Evaluate their broadsides or letters by correct
facts, legibility, and creativity.
Hang the completed broadsides around the classroom.
Have the class vote on the most persuasive ad.
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