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Main Idea Questions: Chapter 8 Sections 3
The Austin Colonies (pp. 168-171)
DIRECTIONS: Using the textbook, answer each question.
1. What were the two main early problems affecting settlers in Stephen F.
Austin’s colony?
 A bad drought ruined the colony’s first crop
 American Indians raided the colony
2.
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How did Austin try to solve these problems?
He told settlers the Mexican gov’t. had approved the colony
Established a headquarters near present-day La Grange
Set up a government and created rules for the colony
Tried to establish peace with Native Americans in the region
Formed a militia for defense of the colony
3. Baron de Bastrop was appointed to issue land titles in Austin’s first colony.
4. To bring order to his first colony, Austin set up his headquarters near
present-day La Grange.
5. When talking about Austin’s colonists, what does the textbook mean by the
term “Old Three Hundred”?
 The 297 families and single men who received land in SFA’s first colony
6. Most of the Old Three Hundred came from the U.S., particularly Louisiana.
7. By 1824, Austin, feeling that his colony needed a capital, founded San
Felipe de Austin, better known as San Felipe.
8. The site of Austin’s new capital had many geographic advantages that
allowed it to succeed. List three of these advantages.
 In the center of the colony, halfway between the coast and El Camino Real
 Sat on a high bluff, good for defense
 Brazos River provided a source of water
 A ferry was located there
9. What were two ways Austin tried to help his “Little Colony” thrive?
 Organized a militia and recruited some Tonkawas as allies
10. In total, Austin established five colonies in Texas.
Main Idea Questions: Chapter 8 Section 4
Empresarios and Tejanos (pp. 172-176)
DIRECTIONS: Using your textbook, answer each question.
1. After Mexico was divided into 19 states and 5 territories, why did many
Texans, including Erasmo Seguin, object to unification with Coahuila?
 Because Coahuila had a much larger population, he feared it would
dominate state politics
2. What did Seguin suggest should happen to Texas?
 It should become a territory
3. The capital of Coahuila y Tejas was Saltillo.
4. When Seguin went to the capital, he found that 10 of the 12 legislators
were from Coahuila and only 2 were from Texas.
5. The State Colonization Law of 1825 further extended U.S. immigration to
Texas. What were the only two requirements for immigrants in this law?
 Become Catholics and Mexican citizens of good moral character
6. Under this law, new settlers did not have to pay taxes for 10 years.
7. Martin de Leon was the only empresario to found a colony of primarily
Mexican settlers.
8. Over the many years known as the Empresario Era, how did Tejano views
of Anglo settlers change?
 Many Tejanos grew angry with Anglo settlers over the years due to
conflicts over land, property, and other issues
9. Population in Texas boomed during this era; by 1834, an estimated 24, 700
settlers lived in the region.
10. Why did the issue of growing cotton in Texas lead to a division among
Tejanos?
 Slave labor for the cotton industry was widely used in the U.S. and Anglo
settlers wanted to introduce it to Texas, but many Mexicans and Tejanos
were against slavery