Map of the State of Coahuila & Texas The Truth About Texas Davy Crokett circa 1834  after losing re-election to the US Congress "Y'all can go to Hell!  I'm going to Texas!"            Davy Crockett  on leaving his seat in the Tennessee legislature.  Spanish Mexico with vast stretches of thinly or completely uninhabited lands needed hardworking immigrants as much as the young USA. Spanish representatives touring the US to recruit settlers in 1820 met Moses Austin, in southeast Virginia.  Austin was agreeable and enthusiastic about moving to Mexico so Spain granted him a large stretch of land for him and his friends. Sadly, like Moses, this Moses never saw the promised land.  He died in June 1821 three months before Mexico declared independence in September of 1821.    His son, Stephen F. Austin, took over his father’s dream of a new settlement in Texas and soon received recognition of the Spanish...

  The French in Mexico                     Maximilian Archduke of Austria      Princess Charlotte of   Belgium                                                                 and Emperor of Mexico                         Carlota, Empress of Mexico                  In October of 1861, the French, Spanish, and English governments signed The Treaty of London agreeing to form a military expedition to force the Mexican government to pay overdue debts to the three nations. By this point Mexico had been riven by civil war between the Conservatives and the Liberals for six years. No matter which side was in charge of the gover...

  Chewing Gum and Cigarettes                                  Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna       I came across the astounding fact that General Santa Anna--he of Texas War of Independence and Mexican War fame--introduced chewing gum to the United States!!      Santa Anna was president/dictator/caudillo of Mexico five times. Between 1823 and 1855 every time he took power, he managed to anger enough people he would be overthrown. Even though he constantly lost battles, he was known as a better general than politician or administrator.   Liberal and Conservative Mexicans joined together to create a new constitution, one which they hoped would stop the chaos of Mexican politics. Known as the War of the Reforma they triumphed in August of 1855. Santa Anna was d riven into exile.  He lived in various places, Cuba, Columbia, St. Thomas, and New York City...