 
in the 1820's mexico, our neighboring country to the south, decided to 
allow americans to settle inside its borders. 
northern mexico, called texas, was thinly populated, and the mexican 
government wanted to build up the country. 
therefore, mexican officials encouraged american settlement. 
for example, an agreement was made with a young man from missouri by the 
name of stephen austin. 
in return for the promise to settle at least 100 families in texas, he 
received a large grant of land from the mexican government. 
between 1820 and 1830 about 20,000 american colonists with 2,000 slaves 
went into texas. 
others settled in mexican-owned california. 
however, as time went on, mexican officials changed their minds about 
american immigration. 
the mexican authorities became alarmed with the texans, as the american 
colonists came to be called. 
they said: "those independent norteamericanos (north americans) are an 
ungrateful lot. 
they keep to their american ways instead of becoming good mexicans." 
the texans, on the other hand, objected to the dictatorial manner in which 
the mexican government treated them. 
fighting broke out between the texans and mexican soldiers. 
stephen austin was arrested and thrown into jail. 
in 1836, the mexican dictator, general santa anna, led an army of 6,000 
men northward to teach the texans a lesson. 
the texans reacted by declaring themselves independent of mexico. 
they chose sam houston to command their small army. 
the rebels organized a government much like that of the united states and 
adopted a red, white, and blue flag with one large white star. 
santa anna marched to san[antonio. 
