The newly established Mexican republic was a Catholic nation at heart, as it inherited its religious leanings from its original country. The low degree of development of slavery was another of the influences of Europe, and while the practice was present, the slaves were not numerous, unlike in the neighboring United States. However, when Anglo-Saxons from the northern country chose to move to Mexico, they brought their indentured servants along. Furthermore, they adhered to Protestantism, which was dominant in the English-speaking nation. This post investigates the reasons why the Spanish-speaking republic invited such dramatically different people to settle in its territory despite the potential conflicts that would, and did, ensue.
The central reason for the move is the lack of other options for colonization, as the Republic did not have sufficient manpower to conduct the settling of its northern territories. According to Resendez, the Hispanic population in Texas amounted to 2000, a figure that was vastly eclipsed by the numbers of both the Native Americans and the U.S. migrants who answered the call. As the conflict with Mexico’s home nation, Spain, had concluded only a short time ago, the country could not rely on sufficient numbers of Spanish immigrants to put all of its territories to use. Thus, the government had to use whatever means were available to ensure that the land was being used efficiently where available to ensure that the territory was being used efficiently.
However, the United States had been expressing interest in Texas for a considerable time, as the people there knew about the unclaimed nature of the territory. Benson notes that the Spanish government was aware of the ambitions of Mexico’s neighbor and took measures against them, such as restrictions on slavery and the construction of religious institutions. Nevertheless, the penetration of U.S. citizens into Texas for trade and other purposes, sometimes illegal, continued. When Mexico won its independence from Spain, it also lost the support of its metropolis, allowing American ambition to intensify until the newly founded republic had no choice but to admit settlers from across the Mississippi.
The unstable situation and underpopulation of Mexico relative to the nation’s territory opened Texas to U.S. ambition. As the northern people had been entertaining ideas about the resources of the area for a significant length of time, they took the opportunity when it appeared. The Hispanic nation had to accept the intrusion, as it was unable to colonize the territory itself. It also had to agree that the migrants brought their religion and slaves with them, though the differences created tensions that led to the eventual secession of Texas and the Mexican-American War.