New Braunfels History

In this paper, I will be summarizing the following chapters: Chapter 3: "A Legacy of Hate: The Conquest of Mexico’s Northwest”; Chapter 4: “Remember the Alamo: The Colonization of Texas”; and Chapter 5: “Freedom in a Cage: The Colonization of New Mexico. All three chapters are from the book, “Occupied America, A History of Chicanos” by Rodolfo F. Acuna. In chapter three, Acuna explains the causes of the war between Mexico and North America. In chapter four, Acuna explains the colonization of Texas and how Mexicans migrated from Mexico to Texas. In chapter five, Acuna explains the colonization of New Mexico and the economic changes that the people had to go through.

Sugar Creek: Life on the Illinois Illinois Prairie, a monograph written by John Mack Faragher discusses the life of settlers in Sugar Creek a town of Sagaman county, Illinois. Faragher argues the discoveries of the environment, society, culture, and economy in Sugar Creek throughout the nineteenth century and the changes, development, improvements with it. There are four common themes throughout the monograph: First, the kicking out of the Kickapoo and other Indians in place of Anglo-Americans. Second, the relationship and changes between men and women’s roles throughout the nineteenth century. Third, the community life and the sensibility of bringing the town together. Finally, the transition of agriculture and the innovations that changed the town. Faragher uses many censuses, charts, and records to get an idea of the transition of life in Sugar Creek and the affects it had on the community. Although Faragher presents many arguments he does not entirely discuss the men’s involvement in contrast to women’s roles in the household and town.

There are many ways in which we can view the history of the American West. One view is the popular story of Cowboys and Indians. It is a grand story filled with adventure, excitement and gold. Another perspective is one of the Native Plains Indians and the rich histories that spanned thousands of years before white discovery and settlement. Elliot West’s book, Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers and the Rush to Colorado, offers a view into both of these worlds. West shows how the histories of both nations intertwine, relate and clash all while dealing with complex geological and environmental challenges. West argues that an understanding of the settling of the Great Plains must come from a deeper understanding, a more thorough

The frontier was the most line of rapidness and effective Americanization. When the masters of the colonist found him, an European, it stripped him and provided him with a hunting shirt and moccasin. It settles him in a log cabin of the Cherokee and Iroquois. It provided a planting job of Indian corn and plowing with a sharp stick. Before going to planting he shouted the war cry and took the scalp in Indian fashion. Little by little his transformation outcomes were not old Europe and not the development of Germanic germs.

     In times before the confrontation at the Alamo, the Mexican government welcomed settlers into Texas. The motive behind Mexico’s act was to create a buffer zone between Mexican settlements and the Indians. Settlers were able to come to Texas as long as they promised to convert to Catholicism and become Mexican citizens among other

Mexican ranchers known as Tejanos fought to keep their land after the Mexican American War. Some examples of Mexicans farmers in the towns of Camargo and Reynosa owned about thirty-six thousand head of cattle, horses and sheep. Trade between those towns along the Nueces River and the countryside was very successful. Across the towns of Brownsville, McAllen and Edinburg after Texas became a state, Anglo merchants marry prominent Mexican land-grant families to gain control of acres of land. Subsequently, to make a contribution to the trade between

As previously stated, “Spanish missionaries were the first European settlers in Texas, founding San Antonio in 1718,” (Texas). However, during the early 19th

Stephen f. Austin looked around for a new business opportunity, eventually deciding to go to New Orleans in the late 1820 to study law. His father moses had a dream of leading the first anglo american families into texas however at that time texas was still a part of mexico so his father moses had to go to mexico to get permission to emigrate the first anglo american families into texas but in 1821 soon after moses stephen’s father returned when Stephen was 27 Moses became very ill and his only wish was that his son would take on and the chance to bring the first anglo american families to texas that was his father’s dream so even though he was reluctant to take on his father’s dream he knew it was what his father wanted so he went ahead with his father's dream of leading the first anglo americans to the unknown wilderness of texas, so after the death of his father Austin traveled to san antonio where he received permission from governor Antonio Martinez to proceed under his father's prior arrangement. Austin was given the title empresario or land grant agent after he received this title the next step was to choose land so Austin chose land between the Brazos and the San Jacinto river . It was some of the best farmland in the area. Austin and Governor Antonio Martinez decided that

Stephen Austin was born on the Third of November in the year of 1793 at Austinville, Virginia. His family was one that made their wealth through the booming industry of lead mining. When he became fourteen years old, Austin went to study at Transylvania University in Kentucky; after two and a half years of study, he would never finish as his father needed his assistance to run his store. Also, this experience in running a store would provide Stephen F. Austin with “the excellent business habits and knowledge of human nature,” which would be useful for his future career as well as the title as the Father of Texas (Father of Texas, 14). His experience from this métier would be necessary for the formation of

In first chapter explains the history of African Americans in Texas and stability of Texas to the slave culture. Discusses the first slaves brought in by Stephen F. Austin and his colonist, where Stephen concluded Texas as a slave country. Even though Austin was not a fan of slavery, Texas was and had

In 1893, at the 400th anniversary of the appearance of Columbus in the Americas celebrated in Chicago , Frederick Jackson Turner presented an academic paper entitled, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” In this essay, Turner proposes that, “The existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward explain American development.” The group dynamic that Turner champions is the farmer. More directly it is white, male farmers. While the expansion of the west by white male farmers was a factor in the development of America, it is not the only explanation for this progression. Turner fails to incorporate all of the demographics present during this expansion which were essential to the evolution of America.

Texas became flooded by adventurous and land hungry North Americans that were unfamiliar with the native Texans' history and

Another important section of this chapter was simply called “Texas”. The author provides the context of the Great Plains in 1720 including the French-Spanish rivalry and the corresponding rivalry between the Pawnee and Wichita Indians and the Apache and Pueblo Indians. The Spanish colonies were populated mostly with unarmed missionaries, while the French-controlled regions

The recorded history of Texas begins with the arrival of the first Spanish conquistadors. Attracted by the rich lands for cotton, plantations, and ranching, tens of thousands of immigrants arrived from the U.S. In 1845, Texas joined the United States becoming the 28th state. Located in the south central part of the country. The language is dominated by English but Spanish is spoken there as well.

While Texas leader Stephen Austin initially had no contempt toward Mexicans, the Anglo-American citizens in the area did. The American Texans of the 1800’s defined Mexicans as “a race alien to everything that Americans held dear” (De Leon 4). This sentiment would serve as the primary catalyst to the Texas secession from Mexico. When Austin began colonizing the area, he envisioned a place in which Anglo-Americans and Tejanos, Mexicans living in Texas, could live together. Eventually, though, the public opinions of North American settlers in the territory and in Washington would make him realize that the goal of unity between the two groups was impossible.