Lecture Notes: Mexican Immigration Ban of 1830 and the History of Texas

Background: Texas as Part of Mexico

• Before becoming a US state and an independent nation, Texas was part of Mexico's northern state of Coahuila y Tejas.
• The region was sparsely populated and vulnerable to Native American tribes.

Early American Settlement in Tejas

• 1820s: Mexico allowed American immigrants in northern territories to protect against Native American control.
• Incentives included cheap land grants.
• 1823: Stephen F. Austin received the first land grant to settle 300 families.
• Settlers agreed to conditions: speak Spanish, convert to Catholicism, become Mexican citizens, and abstain from slavery.
  • However, many settlers remained Protestant, spoke English, and ignored Mexican laws.

Rising Tensions

• The booming cotton industry attracted more settlers, increasing the demand for slave labor.
• By 1829, the American population in Tejas reached nearly 20,000, making law enforcement difficult for Mexico.

Mexico's Immigration Ban

• April 6, 1830: Mexico passed a law to curb US immigration to Tejas to maintain control and keep slavery out.
• The law was ineffective; Americans continued to immigrate, straining relations further.

Political Changes and Rebellion

• 1835: Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna repealed the 1824 Constitution, centralizing politics and stripping self-governance rights.
• The settlers viewed this as an attack on their rights, leading to rebellion.

The Texas Revolution

• Santa Anna responded with force; in February 1836, he attacked the Alamo.
• After a 13-day siege, Santa Anna's forces killed nearly everyone inside.
• March 1836: General Sam Houston launched a surprise attack at San Jacinto, capturing Santa Anna.
• Santa Anna signed a treaty granting Texas independence.

Post-Independence and US Annexation

• Independent Texas hoped to join the US, where slavery was legal.
• US Congress debated Texas's annexation due to the slavery issue, leading to a decade of limbo.
• 1845: Texas joined the US but seceded 15 years later as the US moved toward civil war over slavery.