Texas 1836
Life in the Republic (C14)
TX became a republic in 1836. A new government was formed and leaders of the Texas Revolution took charge. As the leaders figured out how to create the government system of TX , everyday life for the people of TX went on. In some ways though the Republic was changing. New groups of people came to Texas that led to increasing the diversity of the population, new industries arose, and transportation reached the state. Texas was changing and growing.
As more people moved to TX, settlements and towns grew. Texans looked for ways to improve government, society, & everyday life.
Immigrants come to the Republic of TX
Immigrants to TX:
- TX grew rapidly during the days of the Republic. Generous land policies & business opportunities drew immigrants from the USA, Europe, & Mexico into Texas. The TX government wanted immigrants to settle its lands and the government gave out head right grants( a free grant given to the head of household). These grants of free land varied in size according to the date the person settled in TX. Acreage also varied between heads of families and single men. Most people who received grants settled the land, but some sold the land for a profit.
Homestead Act of 1839:
- Many Americans who moved to TX owed debt back in the USA. The Texas government passed a law called the " Homestead Act of 1839, where the law protected the property from seizure by creditors up to 50 acres of land plus home & any improvements to the property. Lawmakers wanted to discourage people who buy land just to sell it again for a profit, and instead become home owners. Land grants and resources attracted many settlers into TX.
Agents encourage Immigration:
- To bring more immigrants to TX, the government made contracts with immigration agents. It paid these individuals & companies in land or money to bring settlers to TX. This brought major immigrant agents, including the German Emigration Company, Henri Castro, and W.S. Peters and associates to TX.
- The German Emigration Company brought many Germans into TX, this helped create a new overseas markets and commerce. This became a financial failure for the company, but they were successful in bringing more than 7,000 German immigrants to TX. These Germans founded the towns of New Braunfels and Fredericksburg. Others settled in Galveston, Houston, San Antonio, & other towns.
- Henri Castro used his own money and resources to bring German settlers over. He provided cows, farm tools and seeds, and medicines to the settlers. He and his colonist settled the towns of Castroville, D'Hanis, Quihi and Vandenberg.
- W.S Peters company received one of the largest land grants at the time. This colony was located in North TX and most of the settlers came from the USA. The colony went through many changes in ownership and had issues attracting and keeping settlers. There was confusion over land ownership and disputed claims to land.
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Ethnic Influences:
- The German people who came to TX were middle class landowners & artisans ( a person skilled at making things). They had some property and education. The success of the 1st group of Germans inspired other Germans to come to TX. They settled in South Central TX, which became known as the German Belt. People of German ancestry are the largest European ethnic group in TX today!
- Germans brought their music and social traditions to TX. The city of Boerne became performed German songs. They also moved to Sister dale. Carl Daniel Adolph Douai settled in San Antonio and spoke out against slavery in TX.
- They also dealt with the same hardships as the Anglo settlers who first arrived in TX. They dealt with attacks by Natives, disease, or harsh weather conditions.
- European traditions are reflected in the architecture and layout of their towns, and their farm fields nearby.
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Towns of the Republic:
- Some of the early towns were located in northeast, TX such as Jonesborough, Pecan Point, & Clarksville. Marshall was founded by 1839 and became the county seat of Harrison County in 1842. This was an agricultural economy and later received a railroad. Jefferson, was founded in 1840. steamboats first arrived there by 1843, using a route on the Caddo Lake, Cypress Bayou, and the Red River.
- Van Zandt County gave rise to the salt mines that are still in use today. The town of Jordan's Saline, now Grand Saline, arose there.
- Preston, on the Red River, was the location of a popular river crossing in the Republic. John Neely Bryan founded Dallas.
- Towns developed on in southeastern TX too. Towns were built by rivers in order to move harvest crops, lumber, & other goods. This encouraged growth in Liberty and Beaumont. .
- The town of Waco was founded by Scottish immigrant Neal McLennan in 1845.
- The Hill country was settled the towns of Blanco, Guadalupe, & Perdernales Rivers. Other groups to settle were the Alsatians, British, Poles, & some Mexicans.
- Settlements at Indianola along Matagorda Bay & Corpus Christi at the Nuches River were founded during the Republic. Corpus Christi was a trade center with Mexico.
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Racial & Ethic Minorities:
- As the population of Anglo Americans & Europeans grew, other ethnic groups experienced difficulties. Minority groups who lived in TX were sometimes forced to leave.
Mexican Texans:
- Before the Republic of TX, Tejano settlements were in Nacogdoches, San Antonio, Goliad, Laredo, & parts of West TX. During the republic, Mexicans migrated into Central and South TX.
- Tejano's maintained their Mexican culture, but they also tried to take part of the republics culture and get involved with politics. They spoke Spanish and observed Mexican holidays and Catholic traditions.
- There was problems between Anglo and Tejano communities. Some Tejanos sided with Mexico in the revolution, which caused Anglo's to view them with suspicion and prejudice.
- As Anglo's population grew, their economic power grew and they tried to gain control of Tejano lands. Some took the lands by force. While some Tejanos stayed in TX, some moved to Mexico.
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Free African Americans of the Republic:
- Most African Americans in the Republic were enslaved workers. The population of free African Americans in the Republic was never large.
- In the 1820s, a number of free African Americans had migrated to TX, attracted by full citizenship the Mexican government offered.
- William Goyens was a free African American who came to Tx in the 1820s. He made his living as a blacksmith( makes iron) in Nacogdoches. During the TX Revolution, he negotiated treaties and served as an interpreter for Sam Houston with the Natives of East TX. He was trusted by Natives, Anglos, & Tejanos. Later in life, he became very wealthy with real estate.
- After the Revolution, free African Americans saw their rights restricted. They were denied citizenship, their right to marry was limited, and they couldn't gain permanent residence in TX without government approval.
- A law passed in 1840 stated that all free African Americas who had entered TX after independence from Mexico had to leave the republic within 2 years or lose their freedom. However, some free African Americans won government permission to remain in TX.
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Farming & Ranching
Agriculture was a large part of TX economy:
- For most people of the republic, life revolved around agricultural activities. Farmers grew crops most suited to the growing conditions in the region that they lived.
- Corn and cotton thrived because of the warm climate, available water and a long growing season. Animals were raised for their meat, milk, hides, and wool.
Small Family Farms:
- Most farms were small and family owned. They didn't deepened on slave labor to run it. The farm was usually 120 to 160 acres and used raised mostly subsistence crops, which fed the family on the homestead.
- Major foods on the small farms were corn, sweet potatoes, and a variety of vegetables. Corn was a major food for Texans.
- Small farms typically set aside a few acres of land for cash crops. Cotton was the most favored cash crop.
Plantation Farming:
- While most farms were small, some were large plantations. Plantation owners focused on growing large amounts of cash crops.
- Cotton and sugarcane were major cash crops in TX. The plantations would use the slaves labor to manage it and it was very common across the south.
- Most cotton plantations in TX were located along the Colorado, Brazos, and Trinity Rivers, which had good soil for the crop.
- Sugarcane was the 2nd largest cash crop grown in the republic.
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Ranching:
- The word " Ranch" comes from the Spanish word "Rancho". A ranch is a farm that raises large amounts of livestock animals. Ranching in TX began with the Spanish, who brought cattle, horses, sheep, and other livestock with them. Ranchers in the Republic mainly raised cattle, sheep, and goats.
Cattle Ranching:
- Spanish cattle ranchers influenced Anglo American ranchers in many ways. From 1762 to 1800, ranchers in TX began to drive their herds to New Orleans to sell. The TX cattle drive grew from this practice.
- Anglo's copied Spanish styles of ranching and used saddles, herding and roping methods, from the regions vaqueros.
- Many Texans switched from farming to cattle ranching and it became an important industry in TX.
Sheep and Goat Ranching:
- The Spanish also introduced sheep and goat ranching in TX. At first, both sheep and goats produced only a small amount of wool and raised mainly for their meat. The Anglo's increased the use of sheep and goat ranching by introducing different breeds that produced more wool.
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Ranches in the TX Republic:
- During the Republic, ranch homes were roughly made structures. Livestock roamed the lands surrounding the settlers home.
- As more areas of TX opened up to settlement, some livestock farmers were squatters( a person who uses land that's not theirs. These squatters grazed their herds on lands they didn't own and moved onto new lands as needed.
- Many successful ranchers were Tejanos: Maria Calvillo owned and operated a goat ranch in Wilson County. Trevino Circle T Ranch in Zapata County was founded in Spanish TX by Bartolome de Lizarraras Y Cuellar, who raised cattle, goats, and sheep.
- The Bustamante Ranch, produced peanuts and tended to sheep, goats, and cattle.
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Slavery in the Republic:
- While the Mexican government outlawed slavery in 1829, it did little to end the practice in TX. Later, the Republic of TX protected the practice of slavery under the Constitution of 1836.
- In 1836, in the early days of the republic, about 5,000 enslaved African Americans lived in TX. By 1845, the numbers had increased to about 30,000. Many arrived with the settlers who owned them. They would be bought and sold mostly in New Orleans, Galveston, and Houston. The production of cash crops relied on slave labor.
- Slavery allowed the agricultural economy to develop during the republic and the early years of statehood.
- Most enslaved workers were on plantations that had cotton or sugarcane. While most did fieldwork, some handled cattle and livestock or worked as house servants.
- Some also did skilled labor, working as blacksmiths, carpenters, and bricklayers. Enslaved people were provided basic food, clothing, and shelter, but little else.
- Their diet was was chiefly corn and pork, vegetables, wild game, or fish. They often lived in small, dirt floor cabins and cooked meals in their fire places. They had little access to doctors or medicine.
- At the end of the work day, enslaved workers attempted to maintain a family and social life. Religion and music gave them relief at times from the hardships they faced. They also had to live with the knowledge that a family member could be sold at anytime.
- They suffered from physical and emotional abuse and were denied basic human rights.
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