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Texas was being ‘policed’ by Mexico using ex-cons, is something I read once. That was one problem. The Texas farmers were also not allowed to see any of there crops anywhere but to Mexico first, which sort of makes sense but it was a rather remote territory from Mexico proper, sort of like the Yukon is to Canada. Not a lot of support from Mexico and so close to the colonies .. and since Texans were predominantly English speaking ... well that’s what lead to the revolution and the domino’s fell west.

We did actually buy the strip of south Arizona (south og Tucson) from Mexico later, called the Gadsdon purchase. Apparently this was needed for the railroad efforts to be able to have a cross continental passage and stay in this country.

When I get these sort of left wing crazies, I do a little reading on wikipedia and such. Basically, Mexico was pretty young and just getting it’s independence from Spain together (remember they took Mexico from the Spanish who took it from the Mayans and Aztecs, etc.). And since Mexico was so young and hardly able to manage Mexico city, let alone the whole country, these ‘outposts’ of Texas, California, etc. were felling pretty lonely and just ‘claimed territory’ on a map.

Tell your left wingers when Mexico gives itself back to the Aztec’s and Mayans, we will consider it.

You said — “Texas was being ‘policed’ by Mexico using ex-cons, is something I read once. That was one problem. The Texas farmers were also not allowed to see any of there crops anywhere but to Mexico first, which sort of makes sense but it was a rather remote territory from Mexico proper, sort of like the Yukon is to Canada. Not a lot of support from Mexico and so close to the colonies .. and since Texans were predominantly English speaking ... well that’s what lead to the revolution and the domino’s fell west.”

Ummm..., I don’t know about that. It doesn’t sound right or familiar with the Texas history that we had (nor with what I have studied since then).

You have to remember that all the people going to Texas, in those beginning years of the well-known and recognized names moving there — were all agreed on being Mexican citizens. They did not move there to become the Republic of Texas. That’s something that grew out of a bad situation and a changing situation, after many years.

Those initial “big names” were “impresarios” receiving huge land grants from the Mexican government to build up the region (and to act as a buffer between the U.S. and Mexico). These impresarios, receiving the large land grants from Mexico, gained a lot of wealth in the process — which is part of the reason why they were drawn there, to do that in the first place.

In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain, and assumed the responsibility of colonizing the Texas region. Unable to secure the land with Mexican citizens, the government turned to the United States. Moses Austin was awarded a land grant from the Mexican government, and was entitled an Impresario. His task was to settle 300 families in his colony. After his death, his son Stephen F. Austin fulfilled his fathers contract by settling the colony with 300 families from the United States. The “Old 300” were the first permanent Anglo-American settlers in Texas. Other impresarios would receive land grants, and soon thousands of Americans had immigrated to Texas.

According to the Mexican Constitution of 1824, these settlers were granted land, allowed to own slaves, and were to be free of taxes for seven years. The only requirements were that they become Mexican citizens, practice the Roman Catholic religion, and secure Texas for the Mexican government. Austin became the leading spokesperson for the “Texians” for all affairs with Mexico. Texas was a part of the territory known as Coahuila y Tejas. Many times Austin petitioned the government for separate statehood for Texas, all to no avail.

[ http://www.dallashistory.org/history/texas/colonization.htm ]

You see, they all came there to be citizens of Mexico and to eventually become *another state* within Mexico (as opposed to being part of an already existing state). And therein was part of the problem...

Don’t misread this — “Many times Austin petitioned the government for separate statehood for Texas, all to no avail.” This was petitioning to *Mexico* to become another *state within Mexico* and not the United States...

Of course, there are a lot of other details... and it’s interesting history.

Mexico and its people are idiots if they think they’ve gained independance from Spain. The day they put one of their own in power and stop speaking a Eurpoean language they’ll be independant. Maybe. Maybe pigs will fly someday too.