The Mexican government used the empresario system to colonize Texas. Not all empresarios met the stipulations of their contracts, and by 1830, it had become apparent that only the Anglo-American colonies, especially Austinís colony, were thriving in Texas despite the Mexican governmentís encouragement of the immigration of other nationalities. Ever suspicious of the expansionist tendencies of the United States, the Mexican government felt compelled to assert its authority over the colonies in Texas. This new authoritarian stance surprised the Texas colonists who had come to expect from the government either laxity or neglect. Three developments contributed to the further alienation of the colonists with the Central Government and fed the sentiment for rebellion against Mexico. These included the Mexican Law of April 6, 1830, that prohibited further immigration of North Americans; the efforts of the United States to purchase Texas; and a number of disturbances between colonists and government officials.
Enter the Anglo-American Colonization Exhibit —>