1. Life in the Republic
Chapter 14

2. Immigrants come to the republic
1836: 50,000 settlers in Texas
1845: 125,000 settlers in Texas
Immigrants drawn from US, Europe and Mexico because of:
Generous land policies
Business opportunities
Texas government distributed 37 million acres of Headright Grants
Headright Grants:
Grants of free land that varied in size according to date a person settled in Texas
Acreage also varied between heads of families and single men

3. Homestead Act of 1839
Many Americans who moved to Texas in the early 1800’s owed debts back in the U.S. They left GTT (Gone To Texas) on their door when they moved to Texas. When banks came to collect debts they knew they were not getting paid.
Stephen Austin wanted to protect these settlers’ homes from creditors trying to collect debts
Austin convinced Coahuila y Tejas to pass a law that protected land grants given by the government from seizure by creditors
The Republic of Texas continued this tradition by passing the Homestead Act of 1839
Homestead: a family’s home and land
The law protected up to 50 acres of land plus any improvements to the property
Lawmakers wanted to discourage land speculators who would buy land just to sell it for profit. They wanted to encourage home ownership.

4. Immigration agents
To encourage immigration, the Texas government made contracts with immigration agents. They were paid to bring settlers to Texas.
Prominent Immigration Agents/Companies:
German Emigration Company: Many Germans immigrated to Texas
7,000 immigrated to the Republic
Founded New Braunfels and Fredericksburg
Henri Castro (France): brought 2,000 German-speaking settlers from France
Settled in Castroville, D’Hanis, Quini, Vandeburg, Medina County
W.S. Peters & Associates: One of the largest grants
16,000 square miles in North Texas
Most settlers from the U.S.
Had issues attracting and keeping settlers; many disputed claims
Settlers received 640 acres if head of household, 320 acres if single

5. Towns of the Northeast Spanish had not settled northeast Texas
Jonesborough, Pecan Point and Clarksville were the only towns in northeast Texas by the time the of Revolution
1839: city of Marshall founded.
1842: Became the county seat of Harrison County (county seat = capital of county)
1840’s: city of Jefferson founded. Was the county seat of Marion County
1843: Steamboats arrive, using a route that included Caddo Lake, Cypress Bayou and Red River
Underground rock salt found in Van Zandt County; gave rise to salt mines still in use today

6. Towns of the Northeast City of Preston founded on the Red River
Popular river crossing
1,000 wagons crossed each year
City of Dallas grew around the ferry crossing on the Trinity River.
John Neely Bryan founded Dallas and donated land for the Dallas County Courthouse
OTHER TOWNS
1836: Founders of Houston located the town near Buffalo Bayou, in hopes that ships could use the passage to move goods between Texas and ports in New York and New Orleans
1845: Scottish immigrant Neal McLennan settles Waco in Brazos Valley

7. Mexican Texans
Before the Republic of Texas was formed, Tejanos mainly settled in
Nacogdoches, San Antonio, Goliad, Laredo and far west Texas
During the Republic, Mexicans migrated in to central and south Texas
Tejanos maintained Mexican culture, but tried to take part in Texan culture and Texan politics as well
Tejanos spoke Spanish and observed Mexican holidays and Catholic traditiions

8. Friction between tejanos and anglos
During the Revolution, some Tejanos sided with Mexico. This led to Anglos doubting their loyalties during the Republic
Anglo Americans often viewed Tejanos with suspicion and prejudice
Many Tejanos were made to feel like strangers in their native land
Some Anglos tried to gain control of Tejano land by force or in court
Some Tejanos won their land back in court, others lost
Many Tejanos stayed in Texas, however some moved to Mexico
Some were forced to flee due to violence from Anglos eager to grab their lands

9. Free African Americans
Most African Americans in the Republic were enslaved workers
The population of free African Americans was never very large in Texas
1820’s: a number of free African Americans had migrated to Texas, attracted by full citizenship given by Mexico
By 1860: only a few hundred free African Americans lived in Texas
William Goyens was a free African American who came to Texas from North Carolina in the 1820’s.
He was a blacksmith
During the Revolution, he negotiated treaties and was an interpreter for Sam Houston to the Native Americans of east Texas
He was trusted by Native Americans, Anglos and Tejanos
Later in life, he amassed great wealth in real estate

10. Free African Americans
After the Revolution, free African Americans saw their rights restricted
They were denied citizenship
Right to marry was limited
Could not gain permanent residence in Texas without government approval
1840: law stated all free African Americans who entered Texas after independence from Mexico had to leave within 2 years or lose their freedom
However, some free African Americans won government permission to remain in Texas

11. Agriculture Agriculture a major part of the economy of the Republic
Based on small family farms that did not rely heavily upon enslaved African Americans
Land used mainly to raise subsistence crops
Main crops: corn (major food), sweet potatoes and vegetables
Corn used for cornbread, tortillas, hominy (dried cornmeal) and animal feed
Cotton was the favored cash crop, along with sugarcane. Primarily used in plantation farming
Raised livestock: oxen, cattle, horses, goats, hogs, poultry

12. Ranching Mainly: Popular cattle breed: Texas Longhorn
Cattle: beef and hide sold and traded
Sheep: wool
Goats: meat and milk
Popular cattle breed: Texas Longhorn
Mix of Spanish and English cattle
Hardy- could survive long distances and resistant to disease
Some ranchers were squatters. They let their animals graze on land they did not own and would move to a new spot as needed.
Actually helped Texas by settling land not otherwise taken and produced successful ranchers who would one day pay taxes

13. slavery
Texas protected the practice of slavery under the Constitution of 1836
1836: 5,000 enslaved African Americans in Texas
1845: 30,000 enslaved African Americans in Texas
At the start of the Civil War in 1861, 1 in 4 Texas families held slaves
Enslaved people were only provided the basics of food, clothing and shelter
Diet: corn and pork
Lived in small, dirt floor cabins, cooked meals in fireplaces
Little access to doctors and medicine
Religion and music brought relief from their hard lives.
Had to live with the knowledge that a family member could be sold any day
Often suffered from physical and emotional abuse.
Were denied basic human rights

14. Professionals and skilled workers
Great need for professionals and skilled workers in Republic
Doctors, lawyers, teachers, ministers, wainwrights (wagon makers), etc.
Farmers needed specialized tools, so demand for blacksmiths was high
Large demand for lumber = more sawmills
Large demand for food (grinding grain to flour and corn into meal) = more gristmills
1839: businesses in Texas were producing cement, tin and sheet-iron products
Artisans used leather from tanneries for boots, saddles, harnesses, etc.
Cattle fat boiled down to become “tallow”. Used for cooking, candles and soap

15. Transportation
Travel on foot, by horse, wagon or cart were chief means of overland transportation
If you had money, you could travel by stagecoach
This was uncomfortable, expensive and dangerous, yet still very popular
Thieves and Native Americans would often attack and steal valuables
Ferries were the best way to cross rivers
Large, flat-bottomed barge to carry people, wagons and livestock
1830’s: Steamboats used
Sometimes blocked by log rafts (tangles of driftwood and sand bars)

16. Transportation
Texas needed railroads, but they required much labor, time and money
Texas did not have a railroad until after statehood
1853: 20 mile railroad opened from Houston to Stafford, part of the Southern Pacific Rail Co.

17. Communication
Newspapers, travelers and mail were the only communication sources
Telegraph invented in 1840’s: sent coded messages by wire or radio waves over long distances
1854: 1st telegraph in Texas: city of Marshall
Writers like Mary Maverick wrote about their daily lives and social activities. These authors give us detailed accounts of life in the Republic.

18. Social life Common past times:
Quilting bees: gathered in one home to quilt together
Dancing: waltz, polka, ballroom, fandango (Mexican dance)
Husking bees: parties during harvest time to remove husks from corn
Fiestas: festivals that reflected important religious and cultural traditions for Tejanos and Mexican immigrants
With new religious freedoms, Protestant churches established
Preachers held revival meetings (services intended to spark strong religious feeling)
Religious newspapers and schools founded in 1840’s-1850’s

19. Health and education Few trained doctors in Texas
1851: 1st civilian hospital established in Galveston
Women primary caregivers for ill, delivered babies, etc.
EDUCATION
Republic never established a full public school system
Kids were educated at home, by private tutor or private school
Constitution of 1876 established permanent fund to pay for public schools